Sanctum
by Icetor
Summary: Jasper is a medic for Sanctum, a covert agency that counters the activities of the Volturi crime syndicate. Edward is part of the Volturi, and has been tasked with killing the head of the Seattle Sanctum branch, Jasper's boss. AU/AH Slash
1. In the dead of night

**A/N**

**This is my first attempt at fanfiction, it is unbeta'd and all grammatical, plot, spelling, etc. mistakes are my own.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters, Stephanie Meyer does.**

**Warning: This story is rated M for profanity, violence, and sex. Do not read if you are not 18 or older.**

Sanctum

Chapter 1 – In the dead of night

Jpov

"I don't understand why I have to come along," I grumbled, pushing my blond locks out of my eyes, "Rosalie is a competent field medic, hell she probably has some gizmo that has an encyclopedic knowledge of medicine along with step by step instructions for brain surgery that a 5 year old with steady hands could follow."

"I'm working on one, Jas," quipped Rosalie, "But you saw the report from Jake, Seth has a broken wrist and no way of setting it. I might be able to fix him up, but you're a sure thing. The only other option is for the Voturi medical people to tend it, and if he tells the Volturi about the injury, they'll want to know where he got it before treating it. He can't very well tell them he was poking around in their warehouse while they were gone."

"Besides," said Alice reasonably, "He can't leave the compound, you can fix the wrist and put on one of those excellent clear casts of yours, and none of the baddies will be any wiser. He might even thank you." She said waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

I flushed at the last comment and, muttered something unkind about Alice's parentage. It was well known around the unit that I was gay, even though it didn't seem to bother anyone, they all made comments from time to time. Seth seemed intent on feeling me up every time we were in close proximity, just his way of teasing me, like Emmett's crude jokes. "Carlisle could go," I suggested hopefully.

Alice shook her head, "His cane would do wonders in the field, and even if he were physically able to do this op, the last thing I need is Esme tearing me a new one if her husband gets a paper cut in the field. Look, it's all quiet here, and you don't have anything or any_one _to do here. Esme said that I could have you for the night, you have the training, you have the tools, and besides, the Volturi training outpost is supposed to be more or less abandoned, one or two guards, and the new recruits. Jake said he and Seth would meet us just inside, exchange info and get Seth's wrist attended to."

"Stop being a baby, Whitlock," Emmett growled, not looking up from the rifle he was cleaning, "If anyone should be complaining, it's me. This op is going to be dead boring, and I'm the one that has to babysit you while you fix up Seth's booboo, doc."

"Time's up, Jas," Alice said, "You don't have a choice, and we don't have a huge window of opportunity here. Wheels up in 5."

I sighed and got to my feet, heading toward the medical bay on the other side of the complex. Sometimes I hate my job.

* * *

><p><em>4 years ago<em>

I was working for the SPD when a case came to the organized crime division, a new family called the Volturi had started a minor drug operation in the slums of Seattle and after a few months, the officers working the case, Mike Newton and his senior partner Charlie Swan, had organized a takedown involving 35 police officers (3 full SWAT teams included) when they reached the scene, everything appeared to be under control, but by the end of the op, 15 minutes later, 12 of the officers involved were dead, including Detective Swan and a full SWAT team taken out by a sniper. Only one officer came away completely unscathed, Riley Biers had been in one of the trucks not destroyed by explosives, grenades, or RPGs and had thus avoided injury. Several others sustained only minor cuts and scratches. Ben Cheney and his wife Angela had broken limbs from blowback when a crate near them exploded, the others of their SWAT team were not so lucky. Benjamin Amun had been in a hand to hand altercation with one of the Volturi guards, and had just managed to best the other fighter, though not before suffering severe bruising and several small stab wounds from the knife the man wielded. Of the survivors, Mike Newton came the closest to death, I had to remove three bullets from his chest, one had come within millimeters of his heart, and one of his lungs had been collapsed by another. These five were the only officers on the scene that remained with the department after the debacle. It was declared the most catastrophic operation in the history of the department, and with the help of the media, the numbers of dead and damage done were concealed from the general public.

The Volturi case was moved to top priority for all divisions and for three weeks the entire department hunted for additional leads that would give us a better idea of who the Volturi were, how much influence they had, and how they were able to conceal enough information to take apart the impressive force leveled against them. That is until Esme Cullen, a striking woman in every way, visited the chief of police and left with the entire case file and instructions that no one in the department was to mention or pursue the case further, upon pain of … well, if they told us what they'd do, the threat wouldn't have been nearly as effective as the simple icy glare that Cullen treated us to individually.

In my 20 years, I had never thought much about my own father. When I joined the force at 18, I'd been assigned to the medical division, and I showed a remarkable aptitude for surgery, quickly advancing through the ranks. Since I was gay and in the closet, I had very little social life to speak of, I studied almost constantly for 2 years, reading medical texts, talking with other medics on the force, as well as officers who (unsurprisingly) were a wealth of first-aid tricks and tips. Some attachments were stronger than others, of course, and the one man that I came to respect the most was none other than Charlie Swan. He became a father figure of sorts, advising me to "find my passion and give it 100%." He also confided in me once that the saying had come from his previous boss, who had used the mathematically impossible 110%, which irked Charlie.

I suspected that the real motivation for Charlie's mentorship of me is that he wanted my passion directed to his daughter, Bella, who had worked in the station for 3 years more than me. Charlie would often hint, not so subtly, that Bella was single, attractive, and had her father's wit. Had I been straight, I'm sure we would have at least dated, but I resisted every attempt at matchmaking with the excuse that I would have time for romance and family later. The day Charlie died, I mourned the fact that I had not confided my secret to him, I held Bella at the funeral, and came out to her that day.

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

"Move it, Whitlock!" shouted Alice from across the expansive motor pool, "Sheesh! You'd think you didn't want to go, the way you're dawdling."

"I _don't_ want to go." I shouted back, picking up the pace, nonetheless. As I hopped into the back of the van, Rose took off out of the complex, pulling into traffic at a heart-stopping pace. I had to fight back a moment of nausea as the centripetal force of our momentum pitched my organs toward the far side of the van.

"Where's the fire, Rose?" I asked, smiling weakly.

"Don't sass my woman, Whitlock." Emmett growled (his usual mode of speech is grunts and snorts, but when he feels up to the effort, he _always_ growls. I shudder to think about him and Rose in the sack.)

"_Your _woman?" Rosalie asked calmly, I could see sparks sizzling behind her lovely violet eyes and her platinum hair whipped around as she leveled a glare in the direction of Emmett. The bear-like man gulped, his blue eyes wide.

"I was trying to stand up for you, Rosie," Emmett said carefully, "… besides, you've always said you're going to get my name tattooed on your ass, so…." He finished cheerfully. Still watching him, (not the road) Rosalie snorted indelicately, "You wish, McCarty," She turned back to the road just in time to slam on the breaks as a light shifted to red. My stomach lurched again.

"Goddammit, Rose, watch the road!" I said, trying to keep it from sounding like a plea. I looked over at Alice, who was studying some blueprints, ignoring us completely. "This is why I hate field ops, Alice. Please keep them from killing me before the Volturi have a chance."

"Rose, ignore Emmett, he's an ass. Emmett, stop being an ass. Jasper, shut up." She said this all without looking up from her papers. We all sat quietly for the next few minutes until we reached our destination, Rose stopped the van and hopped out. Pulling a black knit cap out of her pocket, she piled her hair up onto her head, secured it, and slipped the cap on, she picked up her rifle and a small toolkit and shrugged her vest on over her black top. Emmet was businesslike too, as he checked his arsenal of grenades, C4, handguns, and knives before shouldering his own massive rifle. He saw me watching with slightly stunned amusement, _it's not like we're assaulting a country here_ I thought to myself. "What?" he growled softly, I was a boyscout."

Alice hopped out of the van just behind me and shut the doors. "Right," she said, "the warehouse we want is about a quarter mile west, it's right along the water and has 3 entrances, there are guards at both the ground-level doors, but if we approach from the roof of the adjacent warehouse, Jake says he's the only one on the roof. We get in, get the info, help Seth, and get out. No talking unless necessary. Any questions?"

_Yes, do I absolutely __have __to go? _As I saw the steely look in her eyes, the question died on my lips, not that I would have asked it anyway.. _probably. _

Emmett took the lead, making sure no hostiles would spot us as we padded softly between buildings and containers. Alice and I were in the middle, me with only a handgun, and Alice with a rifle and sat-uplinked PDA showing thermal images of the buildings we were surrounded by. Rosalie took up the rear. We reached the desired warehouse and climbed the ladder swiftly. As we crossed over to the opposite side of the roof however, my stomach clenched as I saw that the gap between the buildings was 6 feet, at least. Emmett was the first to cross, dashing to the edge and leaping easily to the other side, landing in a crouch to avoid making any noise. _You had to do this in training, you had to do this in training, you had to do this in training… Don't look down. _I steeled myself, sprinted for the edge and leapt, barely reaching the other roof. Emmett grabbed me by the arm and steadied me as I flailed momentarily. _And _that's _why I don't work in the field._ I thought to myself. Emmett gave me an encouraging thumbs up, and motioned me toward the building access structure near the middle of the roof. Without waiting for Alice and Rose, who were only seconds behind, we ran swiftly to the door, Em knocked three times, then paused and knocked once more, then leveled his rifle at the door, Rose and Alice assumed similar poses as the door swung open.

Jake and Seth peered through the open door, identical grins breaking onto their faces as they greeted Emmett, Rose, and Alice. Jake immediately handed over a PDF device to Rose so she could dump his full reports onto a hard drive for later study. The short haired, muscular Native American then turned to Alice and furtively asked after Bella's health, they retreated a short ways away while Emmett kept guard over us and Rose worked her tech magic. Seth came over to me immediately. Unlike Jake, he wore his straight black hair slightly long, and it fell into his deep brown eyes as he glanced at me, averting his eyes every time our gazes intersected. I felt his arm tremble slightly, and he caught his bottom lip in his teeth as I gently inspected the wrist. "Do you need something for the pain?" I asked quietly, he jerked his head from side to side, and I think he blushed. . "I need you to lose the shirt, Seth. This will be less painful if I don't have to work under your sleeves." He flushed darker, but pulled off his shirt, revealing a lean, muscular torso. He was attractive, and shy, but unfortunately, he wasn't my type. I pulled out a leather strap and handed it to him, "The break is clean, but it's slightly out of alignment, and I need to set it, put that in your mouth," He obeyed, and I sharply jerked his hand and forearm to reset the alignment of his wrist, then I retrieved the clear sheath that we used as a cast. It would limit his motion as well as remaining nearly invisible for the duration of his recovery. I quickly snapped the sheath together around his wrist and worked the pneumatic pads to pressurize, locking the cast in place, and providing sufficient support to act as a fiberglass cast would. "Done here, Alice," I called out softly as Seth put his shirt back on. He refused to meet my eye as I told him to try and make contact if anything happened with his cast. Rose handed back the storage device to Jake, and packed her portable tablet away, shouldering her rifle once more. A few tendrils of her hair had escaped to snake down around her neck. Alice nodded to Jake, murmuring a farewell and promising to send his regards to Bella.

We retreated the way we had come, the roof-to-roof jump much easier the second time, _maybe I could get used to this fieldwork shit,_ I thought as we returned to the van and started the trip back to the base I have called home for the last 3 years.

* * *

><p><em>3 years, 9 months ago<em>

After Charlie died, I gave up some of my medic duties to sift through case files with the rest of the department, looking for any clues that would link to the Volturi and give us more information. When Esme Cullen came to inform the department that we would no longer be pursuing the Volturi case, I was furious, to say the least. I cussed at the cool and collected woman for a full 10 minutes, and then I vowed that I would _never_ leave the case alone. Charlie was the closest thing I'd ever had to a father, and I'd be damned if some useless suit would keep me from finding and punishing his killers. Bella had a similar reaction, and both of us were suspended pending evaluation of our actions and mental status, which only gave us more time to focus our efforts without the distractions of every day police work.

Bella and I used Charlie's influence to get our hands on copies of some of the more promising case files before we left the station, and we spent the next 3 months sifting through the files until we had come up with a few leads that seemed to solidly indicate the Volturi. We quietly contacted the survivors of the raid that stayed with the department, and they, after an initial bout of hesitation, agreed that they would use their resources to follow our leads without putting anything on paper. This continued for another six months, and then Bella and I finally hit a wall we couldn't get over secretly. We needed to try and track down an ex-Volturi who had turned state's evidence in Los Angeles over a year prior. The information was classified, and Bella had to hack the server, in the process, she stumbled upon a firewall that did not belong to the police.

The next day, we were walking along the street when a black SUV pulled up beside us. Before we could blink, two men jumped out of the vehicle and flanked us, they didn't look happy. One was built like a freight train with short black hair, he was wearing a tight black t-shirt and black jeans. On his right hip was a .45 calibre pistol, and he had at least 3 knives, one on each thigh and another in one boot. The other man was thinner, with shoulder-length brown hair caught back in a horsetail, he was dressed in a trim suit, but also appeared to be heavily armed. Bella and I had planned out a strategy if we were ever accosted by Volturi operatives, so we quickly fell into character, her clinging to my arm and me cowering away.

"You need to come with us," the larger man growled. Bella shrank closer to my chest and whimpered.

"Honey, who are these guys? Have you been gambling again?" she questioned me, as she posed the second question, she started to shift from fright to anger. When I didn't answer her, her eyes blazed and she stalked between the men and me, "You have haven't you?" she shrieked, slapping me hard across the face, that was the signal. In sync, we both lunged, her to one side and me to the other, hoping in the confusion at least one of us would get away and be able to get help to the other. I heard her gasp and snarl behind me moments before a pair of steely arms wrapped around my arms and torso.

Bella started to curse, "Son of a—" I heard a crackle and the last word shriveled on her tongue. The thinner man had tasered her. Not wanting to experience the same treatment, I immediately went slack in the clutches of the giant assailant. "I'll come quietly," I muttered. We were both bound and I was blindfolded and thrown into the back of the SUV.

About twenty minutes later, we were deposited in a room and our bonds were clipped off. I slipped my blindfold off just as the single door to our cell (for that was the only thing it could be) was closed and locked.

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

After we returned to Sanctum, we found that nearly all other operatives on base were in the field, an almost unheard of occurrence. Since I had only been off base a handful of times when undercover agents were wounded or when the chance of injury on a particular op was extremely high, I knew that there were seldom less than 20 people on base at any given time. Only 3 people other than our team were still on base. Esme Cullen was in the Ops center as usual, and Bella was with her. The other agent on base was Esme's husband Carlisle, who had been half crippled in an operation over a decade ago. To my knowledge, he never left the base, and he never went on missions, leaving the tech and medic roles to Rose and me if there was ever extreme need. He was almost always in either the Medical Bay or the Tech Lab, fixing up humans and machines by turns.

It was almost 2 am when we returned, and Alice and Emmett had both been up for 36 hours, so they both headed off to their bunks. Rose said she was going for a run, and I decided to finish some paperwork and head to my bunk. Half an hour later, I was in my room. Instead of taking a bunk in the barracks like most of the personnel on base, I had private quarters between the Medical Bay and the Tech Lab. Since I was the on-call medical officer whenever Carlisle was otherwise occupied, I needed to be close at hand to Medical in the event that an operation went south, or there was an accident on base. Esme insisted that the private suites in the barracks area were more comfortable and tried on several occasions to convince me to move my things there, but since I rarely left base as it was, I opted for the rather greater privacy afforded me by my own place away from the rest of the base personnel. God knows, I still had my share of visitors, which is, I suspect, most of the reason Esme wanted me to bunk with the others, but since I was unattached, in contrast to many of the operatives on base, I didn't need an actual lock on my door, or walls without windows, preferring the seclusion of living in an entirely different section to the claustrophobic privacy of a room crammed up against everyone elses, after all, sound travels very well through metal, and with my luck, I'd probably be adjacent to Alice and Garrett _and_ Rosalie and Emmett.

I was idly reading, waiting for fatigue to return after the rush of fieldwork when a noise startled me out of reverie. Mindful of regulations, I strapped my holster on one hip and set my book down before leaving my room in the direction of the Tech Lab, where the noise had come from. As I stepped into the darkened room, I was confronted with one of the last things I'd suspected. On the ground in a corner was a pile of rubble, and as I watched, a figure dressed all in black dropped from a hole in the ceiling just above the rubble. Even though I was shit with a gun, I knew that this situation could get rapidly out of hand if I didn't do anything, I turned on my radio to the frequency I knew Rose would be on, and I activated the switch, then I pulled my gun, checked that the safety was off, and leveled it on the intruder.

* * *

><p>Epov<p>

Fucking break in to Sanctum! James is round the bend on this one, and I'm supposed to do it _alone!_ Well, I can't stand any of the others anyway, Tanya and Irina really need to lay off, I'm glad that Kate finally found another boy-toy to occupy her, but honestly, if he'd paired me with any of those three they might already be dead. Who likes anything with that much plastic anyway? Give me a tall blond with a big cock and I'm set, oh yeah, I'm gay, so sue me.

I think that I realized it when I was still living with my father, but dammit, no privacy or free time for 10 years is enough to make anyone an awkward shut-in. If I'd ever been able to get away from my brother or mother for more than a day since I was 12, maybe I'd have a life, a boyfriend, a first kiss… anything? Anyway, I'm just glad the bimbos Denali aren't around to paw at me with their acrylic nails or press their silicone or collagen implants (breast, lip... chin *gag* or otherwise) on _any_ part of me.

You'd think that after two years of working with me, they'd notice I have no reaction whatsoever to them… girls are stupid. No wonder I don't find them attractive.

Anyway, the only other agents my age that aren't on permanent assignment are Jake Black and Seth Clearwater. While they are fine specimens of masculinity, I would never be able to make it work with either. Jake isn't even in consideration 1. He's straight, 2. He's Native American (so no blond, blue eyed perfection for me) 3. He has a mind like a rusted steel trap (seriously, he's good with his hands *snort* and with weapons, but give him a map, a compass, and a year's supply of food and he wouldn't be able to plan an escape from Toys'r'us.) you get the idea. Seth has been eyeing a few of the men, so he might be gay, and he's got a pretty good head on his shoulders, but he lacks confidence, Jake treats him like an annoying little brother, and still with the Native American vibe, plus he's only 18, and I don't really want to go there, he's barely legal, and I'm not into that.

Despite these drawbacks, the overwhelming reason that I'm not with anyone is undoubtedly James, if he ever finds out I'm gay, I have no doubt that he'll at least _try _to kill me.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, I knew it would come to this eventually, and who knows, maybe this is my moment, the chance I've been waiting for.

I grew up in France until I was 12. My father, Frank Masen, was an American Ex-pat with sallow skin, lank blond hair, and all the personality of a bar of hotel soap. (come to think of it, he usually _smells_ like hotel soap…) He started out as a low-level attaché to the US consul, but after some drama with a British intelligence asset (trust me, not as glamorous as it seems) he was forced to leave the consul and he severed ties with the US. I'm technically American, though I have several passports that disagree (honestly, who would buy me as Arabic? But with a little face paint, a fake nose, colored contact lenses, and some black hair dye you might be surprised.)

I was always slim growing up, probably due to my father's propensity to eat 9/10ths of whatever food I made, and my own love for the outdoors, I suppose my body is adequate, my hair is completely hopeless, some weird shade of bronze-brown and whenever it's longer than crew cut length, it does a fair impression of medusa, tangling endlessly and mercilessly. My eyes are my best feature, striking green that doesn't seem to match either of my parents, for some reason, but then again, none of me ever seemed to fit in.

* * *

><p>At 12, I moved to London when my mother decided I had to join the family business, until then, I had never really met my mom, when I found out I was going to move in with her, I was happy because I thought surely it couldn't be more awkward and uncomfortable than living with Frank all my life had been. I remember the first day I moved in with her, the sinking feeling when I realized that, indeed life <em>could <em>get worse than it was with Frank.

I lived with her and James for the next 6 years until he moved to Seattle to open up a new branch of the family industry, and I moved out 2 years later, exiled because apparently, a Volturi who won't kill people isn't worthy of working with Victoria Masen, so here I am, with 3 plastic bitches throwing themselves at me every 3 seconds, my own brother hates my guts, because the bitches won't throw themselves at his slimy ass, and I'm just all around screwed, though not in any pleasant way, I'm literally screwed.. Fucking bunkers.

"Last chance to man up, Eddie," James said to me this afternoon, I was momentarily distracted by the urge to vomit all down his sweaty, grungy clothes as I caught a whiff of his stench, seriously, showers people. Maybe if my brother would wash his hair more than once a month, and change his clothes daily instead of bi-weekly, the Denali sisters would leave me alone.. I look at his face.. Maybe not.

Compared to the rest of my family, I'm downright pretty, which isn't saying much, but James mentions it scathingly every chance he gets, calling me a fag (little does he know) and a pussy (ew) and a wimp.. (true..) He has a face that would make sculptors weep, and not in a good way. He got my father's nose, huge and fleshy with grotesque gaping pores filled with unmentionable dirt. He inherited my mother's heavy forehead, complete with unibrow, and shallow-set grey eyes. His hair is long like Victoria's, but straight, blond and lank, like Frank. (If I call them Frank and Victoria, it's only to imagine for a moment that some mistake was made, and I'm not actually related to any of the three by blood.) Back to James, he has vile crooked teeth that generally have at least one bit of food stuck in them, as if hoarded against starvation, and he's constantly picking his nose, or ears, or crotch, probably because of some horrible rash he acquired somewhere down the line.

Victoria is not an attractive woman. Imposing, yes, elegant no. She has a very muscular frame, sharp features, and has never smiled in the 10 years I've known her, she smirks, she scowls, she grimaces, she shouts, she kills people, all in all she's what I would call scary beyond all reason. Her only beautiful attribute is her long red hair (which I'm not entirely convinced is natural.)

With Victoria as a mother, I can't see how James is so filthy, at least in hygiene and fastidiousness, she and I are well paired. The happiest I ever was with my living conditions (if you call virtual imprisonment while learning to do something you hate and are sure is illegal "happy") was during the two years after James left, when several questionable odors disappeared completely from our shared space in the Volturi training complex, and there was no longer any danger of walking on used condoms, cigarette butts, or clothes soiled by what one can only pray is dirt and sweat. But despite all this, I'm the more disappointing child, which is a wonderful feeling when you're being compared to the sleaziest jackass that ever walked the earth. James is in charge here, and James makes the rules, here goes nothing.

* * *

><p>On the outside, the Sanctum base looks like a 3 story business complex, complete with a daily cadre of economy sedans and bored looking office workers populating the insurance agency, 2 telecom sales businesses, and waste management company office that populate the three <em>above ground<em> floors. Innocuously situated at the edge of downtown Seattle, these incredibly riveting peons live rewarding and fulfilling lives of pencil pushing, haranguing unwitting housewives, and water cooler gossip. (Actually, compared to my life, that might be preferable).

Underground is where I need to go, I don't really have blueprints, because .. well, it's Sanctum, so obviously not on the grid. I do know that the personnel on base will be few and far between, since James has evidently come up with a distraction to draw all but the essential operations agents away. The best way in is through the floor of one of the telecom server rooms. Strategically placed, the telecom offices are the main reason Sanctum is here, and ironically they provide one of the only structurally insecure points of the building. Conduits piggyback up through the server rooms of both floors of telecom offices, and link up with the dishes on top of the building, making use of the fact that most lay-people wouldn't realize that there's simply too much equipment for only 2 offices to be using.

I quickly break into the main office, no alarms, because honestly, who would break into these offices. There's nothing of value that isn't bolted down, all the tech is a decade old at least, and it's almost across the street from a police station. The telecom office is slightly more challenging, but picking locks is one of my better skills, so I'm in quite quickly. The server room is at the back of the office, so I sprint past rows of dreary cubicles, finding the spot of floor adjacent to the conduit I line it with shaped-charge explosives that will (hopefully) reach only through the floor, and not set off any alarms in the Sanctum complex. The charges work beautifully, and I find myself confronted with a hole that leads down to Sanctum's tech lab.

For the thousandth time, I almost turn back, but since it's likely the last op I'll ever do for the Volturi (whether because if I chicken out James will ship me somewhere even worse that here or because if I succeed, Sanctum will almost undoubtedly capture me and most likely execute me for my lack of interesting information) I buckle down and secure a rope to one of the ventilation shafts, hoping it will hold my rather light frame if I can manage to get back here to escape. I drop down through the hole, not bothering with the rope, and land crouching on a pile of rubble below.

"Don't move, asshole" is the first thing I hear upon landing, the second thing I hear is the hammer of a pistol being cocked. Well, that went swimmingly. For once in the two years I've been in Seattle, I get to be alone, and do I go to a bar and find a hot guy? No, I practically fucking turn myself in to people who would kill me as soon as look at me. He's somewhere behind me, and I know he's got a gun, so I raise my hands and stay crouched, maybe he'll get close enough that I can turn the tables and escape.

I hear padding footsteps approaching me, and I keep my hands loosely held behind my head. _Please, put the gun to my head_. I think fervently, waiting for the pressure that will tell me he's made a rookie mistake. I feel a presence looming behind me, and finally, after an interminable time, I feel the light press of metal against the back of my hood. _Yeah! Fucking-A, it's a trainee, or some moron guard!_ I crow internally.

I quickly whip my hands around the hilt and barrel of the pistol, wrenching it away from the back of my head in a matter of a split second, I simultaneously pivot on one knee while sweeping my other leg out behind me to try and catch this moron off guard. I realize I have one of his hands under my own on the hilt of the pistol, and adjust my grip to help with my leverage as I swing him around. I feel his legs start to give, and apply more pressure with my own, throwing the startled man to the pile of rubble underneath me. I now have him on the ground beside me, I jerk the gun from his hand and turn it around, pressing it to his chest as I straddle one of his legs and pin one of his arms to the ground, trapping him with my body. I look at him, to assess how dazed he is, you know? And time seems to stand still as I see his face for the first time.

The man lying under me is practically my dreams personified. He's got long-ish blond curls that frame his face, his eyes are wide with panic and confusion, but are the most striking blue I've ever seen. His nose is straight and beautiful, his lips *swoon* look like they've been carved from marble. I realize that my hand is still touching his, and a feeling like the buzz from an electric fence is working its way through my body, and embarrassingly, to my crotch. Suddenly, my hand on his seems too intimate, and I jerk it away, feeling my pants tighten as I realize how close I am to this man.

_Oh, god, don't let him feel that. Fuck, Edward, how weak are you man? Can't even incapacitate a fucking Sanctum trainee without popping a boner, really professional hitman you are._

He closes his eyes, and angles his head away as he says, "Do it quickly, please." I hear a hint of fear, masked by stubbornness and his voice goes straight to my groin, it reminds me of honey on warm bread. _Fucking do *you* quickly, if you please_. Jesus I have no mental filter, I realize that my hand is still on the gun, though I can't think why he would ask me to kill him.

"Shit," I groan, "'Fucking base will be empty, I swear' bullshit. Fuck, man, who are you? Why are you here?" I demand. Not even 2 minutes into the op and already it's blown, I need the man in charge if I'm going to do what I came here to do, I only have 2 options now, tie up this beautiful man and try to find his boss, or abandon the op and go back… James would fucking kill me. Onward and upward then.

"J-Jasper," he stutters a bit over his name, and revel in the sound of his voice once more. "Whitlock. I'm the medic on base."

"Well, Jasper, medic on base," I say slowly, "Here we have a problem, because I need to find your boss, and you just fucked it all up." Fucking doctors with guns, no wonder he was so easy to take down. _I wouldn't mind getting a physical from him, strike that. I wouldn't mind getting physical with him. _So I'm stuck here with a doctor who's practically the personification of every naughty fantasy I've had for the last 10 years, I'm holding a gun, and my body is telling me to jump his bones… lovely.

"You can let me go, I won't tell anyone, I swear." He says, eyes opening once more to look up at me, pleading. Fucking Bambi eyes? Seriously? Goddammit, tying him up is sounding better and better. I'm not going to have time to find the man in charge, James is going to FUCKING KILL ME!

I snort, "Jasper, I'm skilled enough to break into a secure Sanctum facility, and incapacitate at least one of their operatives, give me some credit, I'm not stupid. Besides, anyone who's seen a cheesy spy movie knows that people who say 'I won't tell anyone' are lying." He's still watching me, but he seems to relax a bit at the joke. "So you're a doctor, and you have little to no combat skills, why the fuck did you pull a gun on me?" I demand, "Does anyone else know I'm here?"

"Fuck you, you broke in here, I suppose I should have just kept on walking?" he has some fire in him after all, I like. First question answered, not the second, not good for me.. I guess the best thing for me to do is get myself captured and hope no permanent damage ensues before I can explain myself… in the meantime there's something I've been dying to try for about a decade…

"Fuck you, _Jasper_," I retort, loving the way his name rolls off my tongue, "Now you've gone and fucked up my entire everything." I'm not angry at this point, mostly just resigned. I inhale deeply, and steel myself for what I'm going to do. I fucking refuse to be taken down or, god forbid, die without having a first kiss. "I'm really sorry, I'm going to have to knock you out, but first." No time like the present, I drop the gun, whip off my hood, and grab both his hands, pinning them above him, and just as his eyes widen, I bring my lips crashing down on his. Any second I expect I'll feel excruciating pain in my lower extremities, sure he'll knee me in the groin, but if so, I'll at least die happy. As my lips connect with his, lightning explodes through me, dousing the world in sparks. _God, his skin is soft_, I think, as I assault his mouth with my own, desperate to fit as much passion as I can into what is going to be my only kiss ever, and as the lightning heat of contact sears through me, I moan into him, and he. Fucking. Kisses. Me. Back.

When I gain some modicum of awareness back after the first bolt of lust becomes bearable, I feel him arching into me, his lips move against mine urgently, his leg rubs exquisitely across my rock hard dick. I can't think or breath in the onslaught of desire, and I release his hands, bringing my own hands down, one to tangle in his perfect blond locks, the other snaking around his waist to pull him closer. I'm drowning in a wash of heat and I vaguely feel his hands run up my back to tangle in my hair, mussed from the hood.

I feel him sigh into the kiss and take the opportunity to slip my tongue into his mouth, sampling his flavor, honey and cinnamon, he caresses my tongue with his own, and our bodies continue to strain together as our tongues dance erotically.

After what seems like an eternity, I pull away from the kiss, the amazing, reality shattering, mind blowing kiss, and gasp for breath. I look down at Jasper, he's breathing heavily as I am, and his face is flushed, his pupils blown wide with desire. I feel his own erection straining against my thigh and his hands are still tangled loosely in my hair.

I'm about to dive back down for my second kiss ever when I hear the sound of a hammer cocking for the second time, a steely female voice says, "Don't move fucking asshole, I will blow you away where you stand if you don't fucking release Dr. Whitlock, put your hands on your head, and kiss the ground."

Well, I figured he'd called for backup, and the kiss was totally worth the time it took. I groan and say, "What is this, fucking Times Square? The base is supposed to be empty, for fuck's sake!" I do as she says and kneel down, I hear Jasper shifting beside me, and change a glance over, he's still flushed and breathing heavily. I smirk, knowing that it's because of me.

"You okay, Jas?" the woman says, he replies shakily that he is, indeed, unharmed. "Tie him up, Doc, We need to secure him before we contact the boss. Are there any others?" this last was directed at me, I figure there's no point in lying, "No, just little old me, I—" I feel hands on mine, a buzz of energy fires through me and I know it's Jasper tying my hands with a pair of zip ties. I really hope they won't kill me, but in the mean time… The feel of his sure steady hands binding me is erotic, and I bite back a groan as I imagine myself at his mercy, bound to a bed as his naked body meets mine grinding, thrusting… Then his hands are gone, and I snap back to reality, I lower my hands and start to get to my feet, "Look," I say, "I'm not who you think—" "Fucking don't move, I said" the woman dashes over to me, and the last thing I feel is the butt of a pistol connecting with the back of my skull, _that's gonna ache like a motherfucker tomorrow_. Darkness seeps in around the corners of my vision and I slump bonelessly to the floor. Kiss was still totally worth it.

* * *

><p>Jpov<p>

… wow…

So… to recap, I got my ass handed to me by the mysterious dude in black, then he started bitching at me and how I put a crimp in his plan to kill Esme, and just when I thought the whole situation couldn't get more surreal, he took off his mask. I've never used the term beautiful to describe a man, but this unknown guy was the most beautiful creature I'd ever laid eyes on. As I felt him press my body to the floor underneath his, I gave an involuntary gasp, his eyes were incredibly green and supremely pissed. He had the most amazing bronze colored sex hair I'd ever seen, add to that the fact that his hard body was pinning me to the ground in a deliciously dominant fashion, and I was half gone.

Before I knew what was happening, my entire body exploded with molten fire as he pressed his mouth firmly onto mine, had I been able to hold on to even a shred of coherence, I would have wondered why he was kissing me instead of planting a bullet in my head, but all rational thought abandoned me in a rush of lust and desire as I felt my body respond to the furious assault of his lips. I attempted to press my body more firmly onto his as I submitted to the wave of heat rushing through me, I felt his hands release mine and wander to my lower back and my hair, and take the opportunity to grab his head and hold him more tightly to me. His rock hard cock dug into my thigh as we strained together, trying to fuse our bodies into one.

Writhing on the ground, in the throes of the most intense kiss I'd ever experienced, I sighed and felt his tongue instantly invade my mouth, far from protesting, I responded in kind. Then he pulled away.

For a moment, I was dazed, staring up at him, then I looked past him and saw Rose rounding the corner, gun drawn. I remembered my radio and thought about how the situation must look, we probably looked like we'd been wrestling for the gun. I looked up and saw the beautiful assassin still gazing at me while Rose leveled her gun at him. She would make no foolish mistake like I had, she would not lose control of the situation (given the choice of course, I might very well _accidentally_ lose my weapon to this particular intruder, if I found myself in such a position again). As soon as Rose threatened the beautiful man, I knew he would not use me as a hostage, I extricated myself from under his body, and obeyed Rose's instructions to bind him, though I felt a pang of remorse at having to treat him like the enemy he obviously was. I almost cried out when she pistol whipped him, but, knowing Rose, she probably would have done the exact same thing if she had known what we were _really_ doing when she showed up. Strike that, she _definitely_ would have pistol whipped him. He slumped to the ground, bronze hair a riot of color on his otherwise dark form.

"How did he get you on the ground, Doc?" Rose queried, she quickly followed up with, "You don't seem hurt, should I get Carlisle to take a look at you?"

"I'm fine, Rose, don't wake Carlisle on my behalf," I said hastily, not wanting anyone else to know about my foolishness before they absolutely had to. "I was careless, I got the drop on him, but I got too close, and he got my gun and pinned me before I knew what was happening. Didn't you hear on the radio?" I blushed, knowing if she had been listening the entire time, she would have heard some sounds that were definitely not violent in origin.

"As soon as I figured out it was you and why you turned yours on, I turned my radio off, you're always here anyway, and I figured that if I left the damn thing on, he would hear me coming a mile off," she reasoned, "He got the upper hand pretty quickly, Doc. You should have known I'd be right around the corner, haven't we taught you anything about prisoner taking? You never get in arms reach of the bastards, some of them are like octopi, all arms and legs." She scolded me sternly, though unnecessarily, "You're lucky I was around, Doc, that could easily have bitten you in the ass, and it will some day. If you want some help with your combat skills, let Em or I know, we'd be happy to help you brush up." She grinned at me, her tone turning playful, "Besides, you know Em likes to play the bad guy whenever he has the chance."

I snorted at this, it was true, every Halloween, Emmett would dress up as a commando, or a terrorist, or some other threat, and he would try to convince whoever was the most junior recruit that he was a bad guy trying to take over the base, of course, without Rose to help, he probably would have been shot, but the recruits he was going to punk invariably came in the rotation up for weapons check a day or two before one of these "attacks" and their entire armament of weapons would be loaded with blanks and their knives would go missing from the armory until after Emmett had his fun.

He insisted that such jokes actually served tactical purposes, and would say so to Esme every time she pulled him in to chastise his ridiculous charades. Of course, Emmett _was_ the best weapons and hand-to-hand combat trainer on base, so the recruits would line up to agree with him in order to curry favor and be allowed to train with him and Esme would relent with a stern warning to "maintain professionalism on base." I'd seen several of these lectures, and though her words were always stern, once or twice I'd seen a glimmer of humor in her grey-green eyes.

"Seriously, Doc, if you have any doubts, don't just radio next time, you need to wait for backup if you don't think the situation is secure, if I'd been a moment later who knows what this creep would have done to you."

I blushed, _who knows, indeed… _"You're right Rose, I just thought I should do something before he got his bearings, I _do _know that my combat skills aren't the equal of many on base, and I didn't know what he'd do if he managed to get oriented, besides, it's not exactly a typical night, is it? What with only 7 people on base. If I'd known how close you were, I probably would have waited, but Esme and Bella are on the other side of the complex, and I know Alice, Em, and Carlisle are all in their quarters. If he got away from me before you arrived, we never would have found him.. he said something about needing to find the boss, I think he was here to make an attempt on Esme's life."

"What?" Rose was suddenly attentive, eyes flashing angrily, "Well, he won't have a chance to get to her, I won't even let her have anything to do with the interrogation. I'll get him to one of the holding cells and stay with him until more agents come back from the field. You should tell Esme what's going on. I'll let Alice and Emmett know, they'll probably want to get to the ops center in case this son of a bitch is lying about his accomplices."

"I don't think he was, I got here very quickly, I don't think he expected anyone to be in this part of the complex, so his entrance wasn't as stealthy as it could have been. There's no way another assassin could have infiltrated the base before I arrived." I was confident of this not only because of the time frame, but also because my assailant had said there were no others, and I wanted to trust him.. _Great job, Jas, fall for a bad guy, nobody would mock you then…_

Rose nodded, "Even so, I'll let them know, and I'm sure everyone will relax once we get enough people back on base to do a sweep safely. When you talk to Esme, have her do a security lockdown, no alarm, just a lockdown. That way, if there is another assassin on base we can either trap them or track them."

Without waiting for me to reply, Rosalie hauled the unconscious man onto her shoulder in a fireman's carry, she hauled him away in the direction of the brig and I fought the impulse to go with her to make sure he was unharmed. After scolding myself once more for the unreasonable attachment I seemed to be forming with an enemy operative, I considered the hole in the ceiling. Obviously it was a security risk to leave it there, but there were only a few ways of securing it. I decided to use a plasma net, quick and dirty, and it would kill or maim anyone who was foolish enough to touch it, but something needed to be put in place until I could get Carlisle up and he could devise a safe and secure alternative. I got the appropriate piton gun and fired the anchoring darts at each corner of the hole, activating the net once all four were securely in place. Blue light flared in a jittering web across the gap. Satisfied that the breach was secure, I returned to my office, a small space adjacent to my quarters with plate glass windows that opened on to both the Tech Lab and Medical Bay. I swung my chair to face the web in the corner of the Lab and pulled up sectional comms, "Ops Center, this is Whitlock in the Medical Office, Bella I need you to start a lockdown of base immediately, no alarms, just doors, then I need to be put through to Esme, we have a code 3 security breach." I heard a hushed intake of breath, even though the code indicated that to the best of our knowledge all assailants had been neutralized. "Right away Jasper," came crackling over the comm channel, a moment later, the interior of Esme's office filled my laptop screen; she smiled pleasantly, "Jasper," she said warmly, "What has you up at such a late hour?"

"Director Cullen, there has been a security breach in the Tech Lab." Her demeanor immediately shifted from cordial to concerned and authoritative. I continued on before she could ask any questions, "It's a code 3, Rosalie was close at hand and between the two of us we apprehended a single assailant. From his comments, it seems that he was working alone and intending to assassinate the director of this office," I tried to be business like, but my throat caught as I considered the possibility there could be more. I pressed on, "I've already requested a lockdown of the base without alarm, Rose and I felt that if there is another accomplice it would be better to trap them or force them to trip silent alarms to move around base rather than alerting them to our knowledge of their whereabouts, at least until more teams return to do a full sweep of the complex."

"I see," Esme was deadly calm, "first of all, good work Jasper. I will have to make sure the incoming teams know what to expect upon their return. I would prefer you to remain in the medical area so you don't run into any possible intruders, but if you feel unsafe, you should come to the ops center until we can assess the situation. Secondly, you say that I am the target? Have the rest of the personnel on base been alerted?"

"Rose is getting Alice and Emmett to come up to the ops center just in case anyone is loose on base, she said she would stay at the brig until someone could relieve her."

"Very good, thirdly, how was the breach accomplished, and is the point of entry secure?" I grinned when she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," I said, "I put up a plasma net as a temporary deterrent, however, I did want to ask if Carlisle could come down to the Tech Lab to help me patch the hole more safely and securely before the office above us opens for the day."

"Excellent work, Dr. Whitlock," Esme sounded genuinely relieved now that the major considerations were out of the way, I saw her reaching into her desk and pulling out a firearm, checking that it was loaded, then she pressed a few keys on her keyboard and a base-wide alert went out to each terminal informing any agents on site to arm themselves and travel the base with caution and only if absolutely necessary. "I'll send Carlisle right down, Cullen out," Esme cut off the channel and I could only assume that she was alerting the field teams as to our situation, confirming Bella's lockdown, and a thousand other tasks needed to ensure the safety of everyone on base.

I began working on my report as I waited for Carlisle to show up so that we could plug the leak permanently.

* * *

><p><em>3 years, 3 months ago<em>

When Bella came to 40 minutes after we were left in the cell, I released a sigh of relief, I held out a plastic cup full of water for her to drink. The water had come from a sink set into the wall of our cell and activated remotely after a call was put out. Aside from the door, there were no entrances to the space, no vents, no windows, (no mirrors, because let's face it, some things are just _too _cliché to even consider) there were two bunks with horribly solid mattresses and scratchy wool sheets. There were 3 visible cameras, and obviously someone was watching, because the water was activated promptly when I pushed the call button.

"Where are we?" Bella rasped after sipping down the entire glass. "Who were those men?"

"I don't know much more than you, Bells," I said, "I haven't seen anyone or anything except for the two men you saw. I think we're still in the city though, and I think we went into an underground parking garage before they took us here, so…" I trailed off significantly, Bella and I had been piecing together information on possible Volturi operations sites, most of our leads suggested an underground bunker of some kind, and with the way we were captured, I'm sure Bella was thinking along the same lines as me, we had been taken by the Volturi and were being held in their private prison.

"Jas, have you figured out how to—"

I cleared my throat loudly and shook my head, glancing meaningfully at the cameras in the ceiling above. I had been analyzing the cell for the last 40 minutes, searching for possible escape routes. Among the things Bella and I had learned in the months since finding out about the Volturi was that people who were suspected to have been kidnapped by them rarely returned to civilization, at least not alive. We had, therefore studied lockpicking techniques, surveillance circumvention, and other useful tricks in case we ever found ourselves in a situation such as this. I was reasonably certain that I could get free from the cell using the set of picks in my belt buckle, but without knowing more about the facility where we were being held, I doubted we would get far.

"Bella," I said casually, "How are you feeling? Is that Mexican still giving you trouble?" I raised my eyebrows and she caught my drift, arranging her face in a mildly queasy expression she nodded before staggering to her feet and lurching toward the door. She pounded on it and called out, "I need to get to a bathroom, hello?"

"Please have a seat on one of the beds, Ms. Swan, Mr. Whitlock," a light smooth voice instructed over a comm. system. Startled by the politeness and lack of gravel in the voice, I did as it requested, as did Bella, a moment later the door opened and the last person we expected walked through the door.

"I apologize for the… exuberance with which you were collected, Ms. Swan, had you given Emmett and Garrett time to explain, I feel you may have reacted differently to their attempt to bring you in," Esme Cullen stood in the center of the room facing us, an armed guard on either side of her.

"If you would come with me, I will explain everything, but I feel this is too, confrontational, I would prefer the two of you to be more at ease," without waiting for a response, she turned and strode out of the room, leaving the door open behind her. Bella and I exchanged a glance and then followed her, the guards outside the room brought up the rear as we walked down two corridors and into a conference room with a round table and 5 or 6 comfy chairs around it. Esme sat in one and motioned for us to sit and for the guards to leave.

"That's better, isn't it?" Esme commented as Bella and I sank into chairs opposite her. "As I was saying, Garrett and Emmett were instructed to apprise you of the situation and bring you in quietly, I believe that they were surprised at your attempt to flee." She paused eyeing me significantly, "I was not aware that you and Ms. Swan were intimate, or that you had a gambling problem, Mr. Whitlock, otherwise it would have been in your file. Though we do have pictures of you two, Emmett and Garrett were confused by your apparent personal drama and hesitated because they were unsure that they had the right targets. Our files indicate that you …" she paused as if searching for a delicate way to say what she wanted, and I realized where she was going.

"Your files are very comprehensive if you know that I'm gay," I threw out the comment casually, though it was true that I had come out to Bella, only a handful of other people knew my preferences, how it ended up in Esme Cullen's files (or anyone else's) was a mystery to me.

"Well," Esme gave me a small smile, "Our backgrounds on you and Ms. Swan are as comprehensive as any you will ever see, we learned of your … preference… from a certain Matthew Ellis in Austin, Texas." I gaped at her openly, Matt was the first and only boyfriend I ever had, I hadn't even told my mother about him, how the fuck?.. I realized I had said the last out loud as Esme answered my question.

"We have extremely good operatives, Mr. Whitlock, one of them did a complete workup on your life before Seattle, but don't worry, our methods are not sinister, all information was given willingly, Mrs. Cope is very good at working herself into a community and asking the right people the right questions."

_Shit, _I thought, _Isn't Mrs. Cope that woman mom said moved in next door? No wonder she was so interested in me, but fuck, she moved like, 6 months ago._

"Who the fuck are you people?"

Esme's smile faded a bit at the profanity, but she nodded and answered, "I represent an organization called Sanctum. We exist all over the world, and our sole objective is the identification and dismantling of Volturi operations wherever they exist. We do not owe allegiance to any single government, though we have the assistance of many around the world, we operate in secret, often circumventing the legal system in order to protect the innocent, unfortunately, we were unaware of the new Volturi operation in Seattle until it was too late to prevent the police operation that resulted in the death of your father, Ms. Swan." Esme was grave and looked truly remorseful. "That said," she continued, "We have assumed responsibility for tracking and destroying the Volturi base here, and we cannot have any interference, whether from the police, or from _civilians_." She emphasized the last word, giving Bella and myself a pointed look.

"You can't stop us," Bella growled, "I won't stop hunting these bastards until they pay for what they did to my father, my friends." I nodded curtly in agreement, Esme sighed heavily.

"You don't understand, either of you." She had a note of finality in her voice, "We cannot allow you to jeopardize your own safety or the safety of the men and women working with Sanctum. If you refuse to cease your investigation, we will be forced to detain you."

"Fuck you, Cullen," Bella spat, "You can't possibly understand what—"

"You're wrong, Ms. Swan," Esme cut her off, "Every member of Sanctum understands your pain, every member of Sanctum has lost something or someone to the Volturi. My husband and I lost…" She lost her voice for a moment, unable to vocalize her pain. After a moment she continued, voice thick with emotion, "We lost _everything_ when the Volturi intersected with our lives, Garrett lost his brother, Emmett lost his wife and son. Others have lost more. Don't assume you know about us, Ms. Swan. No other group of people on the planet has more of a stake in the destruction of the Volturi. We all volunteer, we contribute whatever skills we have, and we vow vengeance, justice. To that end, we do not tolerate interference from outsiders. In Sanctum, there is accountability, we learn to control our emotions, to carry out our missions without compromising security or integrity for personal vendettas."

Esme paused for another beat, gathering her thoughts before continuing, "Ms. Swan, I am deeply sorry for your loss, I regret that we were unable to save your father and colleagues, but we are the only hope you will ever have for justice. We dismantled an entire operation in Los Angeles over a year ago, I fear that we may have forced the Volturi to turn their attentions to Seattle, we only found out days before the raid that James Masen, the son of a powerful Volturi leader, was sent to oversee the reconstruction of Volturi operations on the west coast. Had our operations in London been more vigilant we might have forced them into the open, but since taking down the entire police assault force, I'm afraid the Volturi have solidified themselves in the criminal community here. Trust me when I say, you and Mr. Whitlock have no idea what you are getting yourselves into. You should step back, try to move on with your lives, and trust that we can and will find retribution for the lives lost."

"No," Bella said calmly, staring Esme down, "I will never give up. If, as you say, the entire force of Sanctum is volunteer basis, then show me where to sign, because I will _never_ stop fighting the Volturi, and if you won't let me do it alone, then I'll join you, gladly."

"That goes for me too, Cullen," I said, "Charlie was a father to me, and I knew every one of the officers killed. You can't expect me to ignore their deaths and go on with my life as if nothing happened."

Esme looked saddened by our conviction, her shoulders slumped slightly, "Very well," she said, "It pains me to see such promising youths caught up in a fight we should have ended decades ago, but I understand. When our.. When Carlisle and I.. When the Volturi destroyed our entire reason for existing, I felt compelled, as you do, and I was given a chance to make the world a safer place, I cannot in good conscience deny you the same opportunity." She motioned for a man outside to come in, I recognized the mountain-like bulk of the large man from the SUV, "Emmett will see you to trainee quarters, then he will sit you down with our operations personnel and find out where your skills will be of greatest benefit. Welcome to Sanctum."


	2. Blondie and Bargains

**A/N: Usual disclaimer, I own nothing, the story isn't for kiddies, blah, blah, blah... you know what you're reading.**

**Any errors in regard to grammar or continuity are my own, the story is currently unbeta'd.  
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Chapter 2 – Blondie and Bargains

Epov

_Present day_

Wow, not my best moment… pistol whipped, and not by some fuckhot dude (though Jasper certainly fit _that _bill) I got taken down by a chick that probably weighs about 110, tops… Well, regardless, the kiss was definitely worth it, and the way Jasper responded, perhaps I'd get another shot. Now personal inventory: I feel fine, except for that exceptionally nasty splitting headache from aforementioned pistol whippage. I'm alive, which is never a given in my line of work. I don't feel any electrodes or spikes, so either I'm paralyzed or they haven't set in with the interesting equipment yet. Hands are still bound, but not so tightly that the blood flow is cut off (of course, a doctor is gonna care more about that than a thug, so once again, Jasper = huge plus). Not much more I can tell with my eyes still closed.

I open my eyes and immediately regret it. I'm in a prison cell; that much is plain. It seems to be one of the public-humiliation-over-private-degradation styles, complete with bars and an audience. Blondie is outside, chewing gum, fiddling with her pistol, and generally sporting a disgustingly smug demeanor. There's some other dude too, but Blondie is front and center.

I wonder how much time has gone by.. maybe I should ask.

"6 hours" Blondie answers the question still rolling around on the back of my tongue, waiting to be asked, "You mutter in your sleep, did you know that? Who the fuck is Jack?" She pops her gum and continues to fiddle with her firearm, leaning her chair back until it's balanced on two feet. I hope it falls over.

"Please, I need to talk to your boss, right away." I try a charming smile, and she ignores me.

"Well? Jack?" Blondie doesn't seem like she's going to listen to anything I say, so I don't talk for a minute. She shrugs and goes back to her gun cleaning. I think about Jack.

* * *

><p><em>8 years ago<em>

14 years old, and doomed to never have a life. I wish my mother would just lose interest all ready. I've lived with her for two years, guess how many days of holiday I've had? Zero.. That's right, no holiday for Edward. At least with Frank there were moments of drunken stupor, whole summers when I only had curfew, Victoria is absolutely the worst. I don't think it would matter as much if I were straight, after all, it's not like I don't have options here. There are 3 other kids that live in the manor, but fuck, the two I can have I don't want, and the one I want, I can't have. Jack.

So, things I know for sure about the Volturi, the guys my mom works for.

They don't let children be children, I've been working 12 hour days for the last 2 years learning languages and martial arts. I've learned to disassemble and reassemble about 30 different types of gun. I can fight proficiently with a sword, and I'm the top knife wielder among the trainees (many of whom are almost 20), I can also concoct a variety of poisons and toxins using common plants. I can construct explosives, I can disarm anything I can build (and some bombs that they won't let me build yet), and I am also the top of my class in covert tactics (I can blend into social settings really well)

They don't allow any sort of religious beliefs, any sexual deviance (including, but not limited to homosexuality), and they vehemently uphold a Nazi-esque type of racism (thank God for my years in school with Frank, at least I know what's what as far as radical bullshit)

They keep their operatives under 24 hour surveillance during their training (which in my case will last until either I'm 20, or until I pass some "final test" that Victoria says should be a breeze)

They're involved in highly illegal operations in at least 3 countries that I know of, and I'm sure there are more, they especially like political assassinations, gun running, and drug distribution. Money laundering goes hand in hand.

Fuck I want to be normal. If I were normal, not attached to some bizarre organized crime cult, maybe I'd be around some other kids, maybe I'd be able to make a move on a boy without someone killing me for it. Jack is perfect. Jack is the best hand-to-hand fighter of the trainees, he's 16, and every time he and I spar, I'm floored, literally, by his skill. Mostly he pins me in about 30 seconds, though recently I've been able to hold out for almost a minute. I think one reason he always pins me is that he's the most distracting person on base. He has slightly wavy blond hair and grey-blue eyes with thick lashes, his eyebrows are dark and straight, his nose is slightly large for his face, but it fits him, his mouth… oh god I've wanted to kiss him since I first saw him.

His parents were Volturi, but they were "murdered" by "evil" Sanctum last year, I'm not sure I believe half the bullshit Victoria says, but Jack eats it up. I'm sure he's sleeping with both Hanna and Sarah, the other two teens on base. You'd think he'd be more discreet about it, but I suppose he knows someone's always watching surveillance footage anyway, so it's not like it would be secret. Besides, heterosexual relationships are encouraged by the powers that be, I'm not sure what that means in terms of surveillance, but though the Volturi are obviously aware of Jack's activities, they would never do anything but encourage them.

Sigh, last month, he pinned me, and leaned in close to tease me about being easy, a drop of sweat beaded at the end of his nose, and I felt myself stiffen in my pants as it taunted me, I wanted to reach up and pull him into a kiss, I wanted to lick the bead off his nose, lick his neck, taste his flesh, anything, I freaked when I realized I'd popped a boner and shoved him away, cussing him out. Fuck I want to get laid, I want to have what Jack has, dammit, I want to be a normal boy, with a normal life, fuck Victoria.

I know why she wants me here, too, she's hoping I'll follow in her footsteps. James is absolutely shit at most of his lessons. He's pretty good at combat, but he's a fucking disaster at comportment, he can only speak English (and even that is a struggle). If it weren't for him being shit as a prospective agent, I don't think Victoria would bother with me, there's something weird between the two of us. It's like she doesn't trust me, or expects me to fail as a Volturi (not that I'd mind failing, if I could get away and live my life, I wouldn't give it another thought). For now, I have to keep to myself. Fuck the Volturi and their bigoted fucking stereotypes. Fuck the lack of holiday. Fuck tests. Fuck James. Fuck Victoria. Fuck. Fuck. Fucking Fuck.

* * *

><p><em>Present Day<em>

I start when she starts bouncing the rubber ball. I didn't expect the gun to last long, but this is just sad. I guess the interrogation strategy here is bore-the-prisoner-to-tears. I try a different tack, assuming that the mysterious approach won't work.

"I have information about Volturi operations to give to your boss." I offer.

She looks at me with one eyebrow raised, then starts laughing her ass off, "Please, spare me," she gasps through fits of hysteria, "You sound like a double agent in a Bond film, next you'll tell me your name is Pussy Galore."

"Honey Rider is more apt," I blurt, thinking of Jasper. She chokes on her laughter and her eyes go wide.

"Well, I don't know what I expected as far as a comeback, but it certainly wasn't _that_." She eyes me speculatively for a moment, then shakes her head, "Sorry, the whole charming routine isn't gonna cut it for me, Jasper told me you were here to assassinate my boss, so until I'm convinced you aren't a threat, you aren't getting anywhere near her." Her? That I was not expecting. Visions of Victoria spring unbidden into my mind and I cringe reflexively. Surely the leader of Sanctum isn't a frigid bitch like her.

"So, tell me, Honey, why that particular name?" Blondie is smiling wickedly at me, and I sigh inwardly, of course she would latch on to that bit of word vomit.

* * *

><p><em>7 years, 10 months ago <em>

I came this fucking close to kissing Jack today in the lockers. Fucker pinned me up to a locker in only a towel, he's seriously cut and his developing chest glistened in the steaming room. I think he and James might have experimented together, though now that James has discovered his cock, he's been sticking it in whatever will let him. I walked in on them, and they freaked, though. I didn't see anything, but they were on James' bed and when Jack walked out a couple minutes later, I think he was blushing. God why would Jack wank off with James. James is practically a mutant, and Jack is so perfect.

Anyway, Jack pins me up against the lockers and warns me never to tell anyone about what I saw in James' bedroom. I'm not sure why he thinks he's stealthy, since I know for a fact that there are cameras in every room in this god-forsaken complex. As I feel his arm pushing up against my neck, and his breath hot on my face, my whole body tenses, I've never been more thankful for underwear, since without it, my erection would poke Jack in the stomach, and he would lose it.

"Fuck, Jack, I don't care what the fuck you do on your own time, man." I say, desperate to keep fear or worse, lust out of my voice. "Fucking Volturi and their rules piss me off anyway. And I'd never do that to you, you're my only mate in this place."

He nods once, strings of his hair flop into his face, and he grins, I fight the urge to reach a hand up and brush the hair out of his eyes. I fight against my traitor body, reacting to Jack's proximity. Fucking Volturi. If I could kiss Jack without them knowing, I fucking would, even if he is straight, which I think he is. He obviously experimented with James, and I fucking want to be that. I want his hand on my cock, mine on his. I want to stroke him until he loses control. I want to take him into my mouth, I want him to fill me and thrust, and thrust.. and thrust.

* * *

><p><em>6 months later<em>

Jack turns 17 today, his birthday is only a month after mine, Volturi don't celebrate birthdays, it's too self-centered, according to their bullshit. I think they just want us to have as little normalcy as they can. The only reason I know it's his birthday is that I used my newfound hacking skills to access the least secure servers and look up the trainee personnel files. Jack Aborneth turning 17, he lost his parents when he was 15, he ranks first in hand-to-hand combat and in language skills, he ranks second in knife skills, and is in the top 4 of all his other skills, in short, he is a golden boy, and don't I know it.

The Volturi commend and encourage competition, and I've been practicing my hand-to-hand moves particularly hard, I've also been holding back in sparring bouts with Jack, since I want to surprise him when we fight today. He'll never forget this birthday, that I promise.

Since those of us who have been around for 2 years or more can choose the order of our training, I approach Jack as soon as we get to the training yards, "Hey, Jack, want to spar with me today? I've been practicing some new moves, I might just have you this time,"

"Sure Ed," he replies, confident smirk on his face, he swaggers to the ring and strips off his shirt in anticipation of our bout, I almost groan as I quickly memorize the lines of his bare back, down to the low slung sweats tied about his waist. His sweats hug his ass as he walks to the middle of the ring. Realizing I'm drooling at him, rather than preparing for the bout, I quickly scramble to my corner and doff my shirt as well. He takes my tardiness for trepidation, "Don't worry, Ed, I won't hurt you… too much." He grins at me, then he glances at my chest, "You're filling out pretty well, Ed, keep up the workouts and you might get into Sarah's pants yet." I've been awkwardly trying to flirt with Sarah ever since James commented loudly that I must be a fag or I'd have "tapped one of the bitches" already. Little does Jack know that I've actually been stalling with Sarah, claiming that I'm not ready, because I'm actually not interested at all. Fucking James. If I'd known how effective my fake flirting would be, I never would have fucking done it. _Focus, Masen_. I need to have all my wits gathered if I want to take down Jack. It's true that I have some surprises he certainly won't expect, but he's still top ranked, which means he almost always takes down trainees that are up to three years older than him (I recently learned why 20 is the cutoff for trainees, it turns out that if you don't pass your test by 20, you don't become an agent, you just become a liability)

Jack wraps his hands in bandages as I do the same, then he crouches into a fighter's stance, feet squarely planted, hands raised. I take a moment to gather myself then do likewise. The trainer gives us the signal to start and we carefully begin circling each other. I know he will take advantage of the few inches and several pounds of muscle he has on me if I get to close, so I wait for him to make the first move. He lunges at me, feinting right while reserving most of his momentum to attempt a grab when I dodge left, but I notice the feint and stick right instead, bringing up my wrist to block his now weakened lunge, I shove his arm away with mine and bring my right knee up, flicking a kick at his upper thigh while he stumbles briefly. I catch him right on the muscle, but by this time he has recovered from the failed feint, and though he gasps at the pain in his leg, he catches my foot in one of his hands. I launch myself from the ground, climbing his hand as I kick toward his shoulder with my left leg. He curses as the kick connects, stunning his fight arm, and I use his head as a further launch pad, bracing my body with both hands as I jump over him. I shove hard with both hands, pushing his body away from me as I carefully leap down behind him. I swing around just as he does and I see his expression has turned from smug superiority to confusion and wariness.

"Fuck, Ed, where did that come from? That's fucking impressive!" He crouches again, I can see he slightly favors his right leg, as his left is still hurting from the earlier kick, and his right hand is not quite as high as it would normally be. I don't wait for him this time, I bound toward him, and just as his hands reach for me, I drop down onto my back, swinging both legs at his while my momentum carries me along the ground toward him. I see his eyes widen in shock as my feet connect with his shins. The momentum of my body carries me past him as he falls backward. I continue to spin around until I'm lying on my back next to him. Then I quickly push my entire body up and over on top of his, coming to rest over him with my body pinning his right arm, my left arm over his throat, and my right arm holding his left wrist above his head. "Meet me in the lockers in 5" I whisper into his ear. He seems rather dazed by my defeating him so quickly. I push myself off the floor and reach down to give him my hand. He grasps it and pulls himself off the ground, we're both panting, him with exertion, me with exhilaration and anticipation "Fuck, man, that was intense. You need to show me some of those moves."

I nod to the trainer and head to the locker room, Jack trailing a couple steps behind me. When we get to the room, I head to the sauna and pour 3 ladles of water onto the rocks, creating thick white steam all around us. This is the only blind spot in the entire complex, and in 5 minutes, it will have the next batch of trainees. Jack is still behind me, and I grab hold of his hand, pulling him to a bench.

"Sorry about the bout, Jack, don't feel bad, I've been training in secret for months and I've been holding back. I'm sure if you'd been expecting it, we would have been better matched."

"Yeah, where did that fucking come from, Ed? And why are we here?" Jack eyes me curiously, I steel myself.

"I wanted to give you your birthday present," I say quietly.

"How did you—" I hear a sharp intake of breath as I palm his crotch through his towel, then, to my delight, I felt his cock begin to stiffen. Without waiting for him to stop me, I pull his towel loose from around his waist, and dropped to my knees in front of the bench. I lean forward, grasp the hardening length in my right hand, and jerk it a few times. It continues to stiffen, heading toward a full boner. I lean forward and licked the length of his shaft, from his balls to his head. Jack moans and throws his head back as I take one of his balls into my mouth, bathing the orb with my tongue, I give the same treatment to his other nut, cleaning the salty, sweaty skin with my tongue. As I let his second nut fall from my mouth, I'm struck with inspiration and I blow on his balls, hard. He hisses and sits bolt upright, "Fuck, Ed!" I revel in the power I have, licking my way up his rod once more. His slit is weeping precum and I gather the oozing liquid on my tongue, spreading it around as I take his head into my mouth, sucking gently. I feel him shudder and it spurs me on. I bob down on his shaft, taking about half into my mouth, then I suck hard as I withdraw, still working his shaft with my tongue, he moans and jolts as I reach his head once more and sweep my tongue over his slit again. His hands move from the bench to the back of my head, knotting in my hair as he holds me onto his cock. Then I go down on him again, taking more of his length, and apply the same suction as I withdraw again. I can tell he's close because he chants my name, "Fuck, Ed, so good… don't stop, Ed… fuuuuuuck" I plunge down on his length one more time, this time, I relax my throat and make sure his shaft doesn't touch the back of my tongue, and suddenly my nose is brushing his blonde curls at the base of his shaft, he tenses, eyes opening wide to captivate mine as I hold his entire length in my mouth, "Ed, I'm gonna…" he tries to warn me, but the knowledge of what I'm doing to him excites me to no end. I moan around his shaft and feel him tense underneath me as his cock jolts and streams of his cum start to spray the back of my throat. I withdraw enough to allow his cum to coat my tongue and mouth, tasting his essence for what I hope won't be the last time. I watch him the entire time, and he gazes at me as his cock empties in my mouth. I milk him dry and pull away from his softening cock. "Fuck, Ed, I never…"

"Shh, don't say anything, to _anyone_," I'm pretty sure Jack would keep quiet about what I've done to him, but even if he doesn't, I'm happy I worked up the courage.

"That was…" his eyes were glazed over, his face flushed, "I won't tell anyone, Ed. Thank you."

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

"Hey, did you die in there or something?" Blondie is sounding irritated, I wonder what would happen if I poked the bear, just a little.

"Yeah, you bored me to death, I have nothing more to say to you, Peroxide, I want the man, or indeed woman in charge." Blondie's eyes narrow, she takes aim and bounces the ball right off my forehead, of course it goes straight back to her, she does it again.. That was wildly successful.

"Look," I say, trying to move so that she can't get a clear shot, "I promise I won't kill your boss, I'm tied up, I just need to talk with her, I have business that I don't want to get sucked up in the chain of incompetence that most places like this are built with."

"I know you're a killer, you have the equipment of a Volturi, and you were sneaking in here in the dead of night, when almost all the base happened to be away dealing with a _Volturi _diversion. You tried to kill our doc, and now you claim you want to talk with my boss.. I may be blonde, but I'm not that blonde, Honey." Her voice drips sarcasm, I'm starting to get pissed at this little game.

"First of all, I'm not a killer," I say, "Second—"

"All Volturi are killers," She says frigidly, "If you aren't a killer by the time you hit 20, you aren't a Volturi anymore, and you and I both know there's only one way to leave the Volturi." Shit.

* * *

><p><em>6 years ago<em>

Jack's test is today, Victoria says he was ready to take it years ago, but this is the first opportunity he's had to prove himself, I guess there was some drama with Sanctum interference and operations like the one Jack has to do were closed off for a couple years. Jack will be back any minute, and then he'll be gone for good. It'll be torture and a relief. 16 years old, and I'm sure I'll never be kissed.

I've been sucking Jack off ever since last year. He loves it, says I'm way better than either Hanna or Sarah, though I'm not surprised, I'm in love with him, they aren't. He sometimes gives me a handjob, but he's adamant that we don't kiss. I'm pretty sure he's at most curious, not really gay, hardly even bi, but I wish he would return my feelings. Anyway, it probably won't matter, Victoria says when he passes his test he gets to choose his base, due to how highly he ranks among the students. She says he's going to pick Los Angeles, which figures. The one beautiful boy on the entire base, and he's given part of himself to me for a whole year, and now he moves across an ocean, away from me.

He's my first love, he's straight, and he's leaving me to pursue revenge. Fuck my life.

When he returns from his test, his eyes are hollow, I try to tease him, to get him to spar with me (usually my blowing him follows our sparring, because that's the only time we can get away from cameras) He looks at me and smiles tiredly, but I can tell something is different inside him. Jack has always had this rage, this hatred toward the world that he loses control of sometimes. I think it's part of what makes him excel, he hates the world that stole his parents. The spark of fury ignites every time he mentions them, and sometimes, when I see him practicing combat, I see the same spark. He is the most deadly when the spark is there, but now, it feels like there's a cold void where the spark should be.

"Jack, is something wrong?"

"I'm fine, Edward" He says shortly. He doesn't look fine, but he never calls me Edward, so I know enough to shut up, my wonderful boy is not the same as he was when he left. I leave him to himself and decide to confront him tomorrow, and maybe I'll find my playful Jack somewhere in this cold hard shell.

I get up early, intent on cornering Jack, I know our days and hours are limited, so I need to find him soon. I knock on the door of his new quarters, he no longer bunks with the trainees, and since he's leaving base, they've assigned him a temporary berth. He opens the door and sighs resignedly when he sees me. "Jack, you need to tell me what's wrong," I put my hand out to touch his shoulder, but he jerks away.

"You need to leave, Ed. I can't talk about it. I won't." He turns away from me, and something in his voice convinces me that he isn't going to talk. I turn and leave, closing the door softly behind me, a single tear slips down my cheek.

The next day, I return. I knock on the door, but he doesn't answer, I wait for a few minutes, still knocking fervently. Nothing. Maybe he's gotten up, fucker is probably practicing without me, now that he's a big agent man. I pass by the training yard, but he isn't there. I check the mess, I go to the Tech training center, with banks of computers and tables of gadgets. He isn't there. I finally give up, maybe he's on a mission. I ask my mother that night, and, in a shocking turn of events, she tells me.

"Jack is gone, Edward, he left for Los Angeles last night."

Gone.

Jack is gone, he didn't even say goodbye. I can't show how much I miss him, I need to be impassive, fucking fuck! FUCK! The asshole didn't even tell me he was leaving! 'you need to leave, Ed…' fucking asshole. I'm going to kill him! I hate him! And I love him. Fuck.

After a week, I cannot stand it anymore, I need to see his face again. I use the computers to hack his file again, and there he is, but the picture has been updated. It's no longer the boy I knew, all full of fire and fury. It's the man with hollow eyes. I see an attached file that wasn't in his records before called "Edward" I feel a knot in the pit of my stomach as I click on the file, it opens; it's a letter.

_ Edward,_

_ I'm sorry that I could not face you, I'm sorry that I didn't ever tell you how much you mean to me, and how much I will miss you. I love you, how could I not. You are everything bright in the world, you are laughter and joy. You drew me out of my dark world, first as my friend, then as my lover. I'm so sorry that I did not say goodbye when I had the chance, but I couldn't face what I had done, and didn't want you to think less of me. I fear I failed my final test. I carried out my mission, and was promoted, but what they made me do… _

_The final test to become an operative of the Volturi is to kill an assigned target. That is why I could not carry out this mission earlier, Sanctum is bearing down on the Volturi, and for the last few years, they have not been able to assign this sort of mission as a final test. I am the first in two years, and I fear that the test broke me. The man I had to kill.. He looked like you, Ed. If I didn't know you weren't related, I'd swear he was an uncle of yours, maybe even your father, his hair, his eyes. I almost couldn't do it, I felt like it was you I was killing, but that horrible voice was in my head, Victoria in my head telling me it was all for my parents. Oh how I wish it had been you, reminding me of the beauty of life, urging me to stop. My greatest fear is that I might not have listened. After I did it, I realized the horror of killing. I knew then that I could never tell you the truth face to face. _

_The Volturi always told me that Sanctum was responsible for my parents' death. They said that if Sanctum were destroyed, that my parents would be avenged. I know now that what the Volturi do is evil. They destroyed me; they made me unworthy of your love. It broke my spirit, knowing that I would never again be worthy of you, not even being able to look you in the eye without seeing the man I murdered. Don't let them douse the fire in you, Edward. I will love you for as long as I live. Please destroy this as soon as you find it, these files are rarely accessed, but I fear for you if the Volturi find out about us. I am sorry I wasn't strong enough. I'm sorry I couldn't be the man you deserve. Find a way out, Ed. Don't let them break you too._

_Yours until my dying breath,_

_Jack_

I stare at the words for several minutes, love and horror, pain and fear well up inside me as I realize that I will never see Jack again. I cannot breathe, cannot think. I follow his instructions and purge the file, suddenly panic stricken, what if I'm not the first to read it, what if Victoria knows. But no, she would never stand for it, she would have killed me herself if she realized the contents of the letter.

Bile rises up as I react to the self-inflicted punishment Jack carried out on himself. I'm horrified by what the Volturi did to him, what they will probably try to do to me, and I can't stop them.

He loves me, he's gone. He's a killer, he loves me. I love him with everything that I am, but I love a man that is gone. He's broken, he's not who he was. He's a killer. He's a killer…

* * *

><p><em>Present Day<em>

She's back to fiddling with the gun. "Don't you have anything better to do with your time?" I ask acidly, maybe she'll piss off for a few seconds and I can get a moment of goddamn peace.

"Sorry, Honey, I find you _riveting_ too, but orders are orders." She starts unloading her clip, bullet by bullet, then she wipes each of them down and puts them back, but if she wants to keep them clean, she's fucking failing.

"You know you're leaving your big fat thumbprint on each of the bullets, right?" fucking prissy moron can't even clean bullets properly. She grins at me, "Oh, I know, Honey, My bullets only kill Volturi, and I don't mind taking credit for that." Great… I'm stuck in a cell with a psychotic Volturi-hating Barbie just waiting for the green light to finish me. What the fuck am I supposed to do.?

* * *

><p><em>4 years ago<em>

**Internal Volturi Memorandum **

**To: Victoria Masen, London Branch**

**Re: Los Angeles Branch**

**Be advised that as of 10:26 AM, June 4, 2007 the self destruct mechanism in the Los Angeles branch of Volturi Syndicate went active. All personnel still on base at the time of explosion have been presumed dead. All operations and personnel files confirmed destroyed. Accelerate timetable on Seattle operation, send full executive team ASAP. Recommend James Masen as Head of branch on probationary basis. Details of LA base personnel below**

**Head of syndicate branch: Aro Volturi Status: Confirmed Dead **

**Primary Security officer: Felix Dominev Status: MIA, Presumed Alive, off base at time of attack**

**Primary field agent: Jack Aborneth Status: Presumed Dead, on base at time of attack**

**Primary tech operative: Alec Whit Status: Presumed Dead, on base at time of attack**

**Primary intelligence operative: Jane Whit Status: MIA, Presumed Alive, off base at time of attack**

**Other Base Personnel**

…

As I read the private memo, my eyes freeze at the third line of the personnel roster. Presumed Dead. I can't bring myself to care about the other people from the branch of the Volturi that has been assaulted, I can't mourn their loss, since I didn't know any of them. I can only picture blond hair and smiling blue eyes, aglow with wit and passion. Jack is dead.

For the next 3 weeks, I'm practically a zombie, James leaves to head up the new Seattle operation, I barely notice the vast improvement in the cleanliness of Victoria's and my personal space since he vacated. Hanna and Sarah are both reassigned to cover base shortages in other cities as Seattle is populated, I didn't say goodbye (not that I really cared enough about either of them to do so out of anything but manners anyway.) Victoria tries to rouse me by sniping at me every chance she gets, but after a week of this I throw her up against a wall, putting my training to good use. Far from upsetting her, she seems happy with me for the first time ever, congratulating me on my fighting prowess, I growl at her and stalk off, still unable to cope with the loss of the only friend I had since I was 12, and the only lover I'd ever had.

After Jack left, I realized how incredibly lucky I had been that he was gay. I never even considered starting a similar liaison with any other men (not that any of them interested me, but if they had I still would have balked).

I pick myself up after the third week and think back to the letter I read in his file 2 years before, I determine that I'll avoid killing if it's the last thing I do, knowing that my test is going to come sooner rather than later, I begin to plot. Obviously the only way to avoid killing is to pretend to kill. Within a week I have everything I'll need to convincingly fake a death, I know from some extended eavesdropping that confirmation of kills comes in the form of photographic evidence, I'm lucky it's nothing so substantial as a body part, but even amputation would be preferable to death for most people (if not all, but I don't want to generalize).

I throw myself into my training, at 18, I'm absolutely unchallenged in all my courses of work. I speak 11 languages fluently, I am at the top of 3 martial arts tiers. I can assemble and disassemble any gun on base in under 30 seconds and hit 5 bulls eyes in a row with any of them (except some of the more lively machine guns, but what are you going to do?) I have been undefeated in knife fights for almost a year, (even Victoria won't challenge me, which I'm particularly proud of) I can control a car like none other, I can charm the pants off any woman (or man, I hope) in approximately 3 minutes. I can hack anything with a modem and an operating system designed after 1990 (but come on, who uses anything older for intel work now?) I have perfect scores on my situational exams (practical courses where you are posed with a crisis or mission and scored on how well you execute strategy and tactics) and at the top of my medicinal and chemical studies.

My timing turns out to be eerily serendipitous, as Victoria comes to me exactly one month after the LA branch is hit.

"Your test is today," she announces, I almost fall out of my chair.

"Today?" I say blankly, she glowers.

"Yes, now get dressed, and wear a suit. You leave in 10 minutes; you'll get your briefing en route." She stalks off, I release the breath I hadn't realized I was holding and sit for a moment. Then I pull myself together, gather what I know I'll need, and head out to the motor pool, time to see if my acting chops match the rest of my skillset.

I arrive at the garage in time to see the other three men of my four man team suited and hopping into a van. McCallister, a quiet fellow I've never really interacted with, is the team leader. He hands me my mission briefing. I quickly peruse its contents. Basically, I'm to identify and kill a mid-level American diplomat in an upscale London hotel, the fallout of this uncouth murder is supposed to raise tension between the countries of England and the US, not to mention that the software company this particular diplomat started will tank, and the Volturi intend to capitalize on its financial trouble.

McCallister makes it clear that this is a solo mission. I will be off comms unless I run into major trouble, I will have no backup on the ground unless I fuck up. If I fuck up, it will be bad for me. I nod. He hands me a camera, he wants me to photograph the body once it's done. I take the camera. I have on the suit and I have a messenger bag for the gear I'm taking, the killing should be quiet, so I don't even take a gun. The van pulls up to the hotel and I hop out, smoothing my tie and running my fingers through my hair to tame it somewhat. I breathe deep, this is the first unfiltered air I've tasted in 8 years, the sounds of the city are comfortingly alien, I'm almost free.

I stroll into the hotel with my bag slung over my shoulder, I walk up to the concierge desk and lean against it, throwing a quick, shy smile at the dark haired concierge, she smiles back, her eyes raking up and down my form.

"Hey, beautiful," I say in my most charming sex voice, the words feel like velvet on my tongue, very different from my normal speaking voice, "My boss sent me to find a colleague of his, but I'm not sure what he looks like, could you help me out? I think he's an important client of yours." I wink. She blushes.

"Well, I'm not sure if I should give you any client information, Mr…"

"Bond, James Bond," I say, tongue in cheek, she snorts, rolling her eyes, "What?" I ask, "I thought my accent was rather good, besides, I'm trying to find this guy to kill him, so I need a spy name, right?" her eyes widen until I raise my hands, "Kidding, sorry poor taste. Anyway, I am in a bit of a bind, I need to get these documents signed and back to my boss pronto, the guy's name is Peter Conrad, can't you help me out? I accidentally spilled my boss's coffee on him this morning, so I'm in the shitter, if I fuck this up, he'll fire me. My life is in your hands." I give my best winning smile, and she smiles again.

"Well," she says again, "I guess since you just need to speak with him briefly, I could point you in his direction. Mr. Conrad happens to be at the bar, he's the gentleman with dark hair, blue-green eyes, and the pinstripe suit." She points toward the bar and I grab her hand, kissing it swiftly, "You're a lifesaver…"

"Mary," she says, blushing hotly.

"I owe you, lovely Mary." I squeeze her hand and head for the bar. There are only a handful of people left since it's well past midnight by this time. I peruse the room and identify Conrad with no difficulty, now for the real seduction.

I slide into the stool next to him and order a whisky from the bartender, he cards me, which is embarrassing as hell, but I play it off and offer him a "thanks," as if it's a great compliment, definitely _not_ James Bond, and thank God I'm 18, I'm probably pink around the edges as I sip the drink, relishing the burn. I glance at Conrad and I'm surprised to see that he looks about 35, I'd expected someone older, and less attractive. He gives me the once over, then raises his glass and cocks an eyebrow, "Can't remember the last time I was carded," he remarks quietly, "and fuck if you're a day over 18,too."

I grin at him, "You Americans get the shit end of the stick, that's for sure," I say, recognizing his wistfulness, I use my sexy voice again, with a light accent, just in case he has a thing for foreigners. I lick my lips deliberately, noting that his eyes follow the movement of my tongue, he throws a heated glance at me. He definitely swings the right way, now to get him alone.

"Nice to meet you, .." I pause inquisitively, "Peter," He supplies, holding out a hand to me, I take his hand in one of mine and give it a firm squeeze, then release it, allowing my fingers to trail over his skin. He exhales noticeably, I smirk at him and the heated look is back in his eye. I think of Jack, and the control I had over him with the merest touch, my heart squeezes in my chest but I force myself to focus and nod at Peter. "Looks like your drink is getting low, Peter. Are you heading off to bed then?" I inflect the word bed differently to draw his attention to the innuendo.

"I'm not as old as that," He says in an affronted tone, I trail my hand over his, grazing his knuckles with my index finger, "You do look quite… virile" I comment lightly, his hand shivers, and he fucking growls at me, "I may have to demonstrate my vigor, for the pride of my entire generation, boy." His voice is husky and thick, I smile languidly and nod, sliding off my stool and following him as he walks calmly toward the elevator bank. We ride up to his floor in silence and he opens the door before turning and pressing me to it, I switch from seductive to serious faster than he can blink and I grab his wrist as he tries to capture my arms. I turn tables on him and trap him against the wall, he moans, thinking it is part of the seduction. "Mr. Conrad," I say softly, dropping the accent, "I need you to listen to me, very carefully." He tenses as soon as I drop his last name.

"I assume you know who the Volturi are, I've been sent here by them to end your life," He begins to struggle against my grip, but I hold him fast, "Fucking prick!" he snarls, "of all the cowardly, vile, disgusting, fuck you!" I smile, "You seemed like you'd like that a minute ago," I remind him flippantly, "Besides, I only said I was sent here to kill you, not that I was going to do it." He falls silent and stops struggling.

"What is it you're after?" he asks, "Money? I'll pay you well" I cut him off, "I'm not a whore to be bought, Mr. Conrad, and I don't need your money. What I want is vindication. I will not become a killer at the behest of an organization that forces children to embrace their brainwashing bullshit, my parents forced me into this position, and I intend to get out of it. What I need from you is simple, I want you to die." He curses at me again, I shake him firmly until he stops, "I need to provide photographic evidence that you are dead, and I need you to maintain the charade until I can get away from the Volturi once and for all, in return, I will give you their entire London operation." I make a wild offer, hoping that the Volturi picked this man for more pressing reasons than his business connections or puny political power.

"Shit," Conrad breathes, "How did you know I work for Sanctum?"

"You just told me," I grin cheekily, "But I'm very astute, do we have a deal?"

"I can safely say that we have a deal," Conrad confirms, "How do we do this?"

"Leave it to me," I say, pulling out a kit from my bag. I slash up a set of his clothes and he quickly strips and changes into them, then I apply fake blood and gore to his body, I complete the effect with bruises on his arms and neck as if from a struggle. When I finish his killing looks particularly brutal. I stage him on one of the beds and break some of the furniture around the body, I spill a copious amount of the fake blood on the sheets then snap some photos of his prone figure, making sure he arranges his limbs in painful and unnatural ways to add to the overall milieu.

"Peter, this has to be convincing, you have to die, or I will." I say seriously. I'm putting my life in the hands of Sanctum, I'm trusting a man I barely know. "I would rather die than kill, but that doesn't mean I have any particular wish to die." I pause significantly, waiting for him to respond.

Conrad grins and flips open a phone, dialing a number and waiting while it rings, "Carlisle," he says when the call connects, "I need some help, I have a Volturi operative here that needs me to fake my death, when he gets free of them, he'll hand over the London branch once and for all…" the voice on the other end asks a question, "No, he came to me, could have just as easily killed me outright…" another question, "No, just me, doesn't want any more on us…" another question, "Yes, I believe so…" there is a brief pause, then the other man says something else, "Excellent, I'll expect the team soon." Conrad flips his phone closed, then grins, "A team will fix it up in no time. When you get free, call this number," he scrawls a telephone number on a piece of paper, "I will make sure you're brought in securely, and we can take these bastards down."

There's a knock at the door and Conrad opens it to reveal a pair of police officers and a female coroner, they all nod deferentially to him as they enter, I slip out and down the hall. Stowing my camera, I memorize the number before dropping the paper into a waste bin. I activate my earpiece and call for an extraction, McCallister and the rest of the team meet me just outside the hotel. As I hop into the van he asks how the mission went, I glare and hand over the camera, refusing to answer. He examines the pictures and whistles lowly, "you're a violent one" is his only comment. I refuse to talk for the rest of the trip back.

When we reach the base, I march swiftly to the quarters I now share with only Victoria. I get into the shower and scrub my skin vigorously; I'll have to make this convincing if I want to have any control over my life at all. I hear Victoria knock on the door to the bathroom and turn of the water. I wrap a towel around my waist and open the door, she seems delighted, small wonder, heartless bitch. For the second time in my life, I assault my mother, I grab her and press her against the wall, arm on her throat. I put a haunted look (I've practiced in the mirror) into my eyes and I snarl, "Never, EVER again, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" I press her more firmly with every breath, intending to convey my message clearly, "If you try to force me to kill again, I will kill _you_." I put as much venom into my words as I can, Victoria's eyes are wide as she hears my threat, and she nods weakly. I release her and stalk back to my room, pulling on clothes quickly. I leave the quarters and go to the training yard where I beat up some mannequins ferociously, pretending to vent inner rage. Everyone leaves me alone.

For a couple of months, nobody mentions my mission, Victoria doesn't even speak to me. Finally, about 3 months after my test, she corners me, and I can tell the bulk of my threat has worn away.

"You ungrateful bastard," she hisses, as I stand impassively in the center of our quarters, "I had such high hopes for you, after James was… well, he hasn't exactly done credit to the family name. You should suck it up, be a man. If you refuse to take the dirty jobs, you'll remain a worthless pawn, do you think that's what I want for _my _son?" the tension in the room is palpable, I fix her with an icy stare, which she returns full force, "You're weak, just like your father. He was never cut out for this life. If you had half my ambition, you could rule all of the Syndicate, even the brothers would be yours to command," She spat the words at me fast and furious, "You are my greatest failure in life, I cannot believe how pathetic you are." With that she spun on her heel and marched out of the room.

Though her feelings were clear, I never received any kill orders, I would go on non-violent missions or missions where violence was optional. Since I was so well trained and had done so well in my classes, I was a squad leader, but no one stayed with me for more than a month before requesting a transfer. My teams never killed, and the only time a member killed on one of my ops, I found a tactical error the man had made and used it as an excuse to drop him.

Victoria didn't speak to me for almost two years, which was fine with me. I did her dirty work, short of killing. I was never allowed out of the complex alone, and was never left alone on ops. Perhaps she knew that I wanted out, perhaps she feared what I might do if I ever got free.

* * *

><p><em>Present Day<em>

"Peter Conrad."

"What's that, Honey?" Rosalie flips her hair as she looks up from her magazine.

"Peter Conrad," I repeat, "Tell your boss that I made a deal with Peter Conrad 4 years ago. At the time he was working in London."

"And why the fuck would my boss know about this deal?" Blondie is just being difficult now, but since I can't get the message across personally, I'll have to play along.

"I have a number for him, it's 646…" I tell her the rest of the number that's been burned in my head for the last 4 years, since this is the first time I've had unsupervised access to anything outside Volturi bases, I guess I kept my deal after all, of course, since I was frozen out of both London and Seattle, I probably don't have enough information to bring down either branch, but I'm sure I can still help. Blondie seems to be skeptical rather than downright hostile, so I simply let her absorb the information for a moment.

"Here's the deal, Honey, I'm going to get in touch with this Conrad fellow, and if you've been lying to me, I'm going to let my husband in here, and he's going to rearrange your face, m'kay?" I nod weakly, I'm not lying, but I hope to whatever god is out there that Conrad is still around and still remembers me, I really don't need Ken smashing my face in, though if he did, I might get some more doctoring…

…

Blondie is back. She doesn't look happy, which could go one of two ways, either she thinks I'm lying, and she's mad that I had her go to her boss, or she found out I'm telling the truth, and doesn't want to admit that I'm not who she thinks I am.

"Damn you, Honey, you're making my life suck!" She glares at me through the bars, pacing back and forth in agitation, "Fucking suck!"

"Touché," I spit back. She rounds on me.

"Don't you get all smug, you Volturi scum," she shrieks, "I can't confirm your fucking pansy-ass story, because the man that used to go by the name of Peter Conrad is currently deep undercover, so we can't contact him. The number he gave you is one he can't use in cover, so conveniently, we can't confirm or deny your bullshit lie, which means that my boss won't let me do anything with you for the moment. I'm stuck with you." She's fuming and ranting while she stomps around outside my cell. I figure it's only fair to let her, since the situation _does _suck. Of all the fucking luck, my one link to Sanctum, the one person that could and would corroborate my story just happens to be unavailable for the long term. Caught in fucking limbo _again._ My life is one great tragic joke.

* * *

><p><em>2 years after test<em>

Victoria wants me in her office, this should be good. I haven't spoken to her in 634 days, (1 year, 9 months). We live together, we eat together, sometimes she even spars with me, but the shroud of bitter, silent disappointment has rested on us for nearly two years. That's fine by me, I hate her, I hate this entire life. I never chose it, I don't fit in, and I don't want to stay here, I just can't figure out a fucking escape.

"You're being reassigned," Victoria states coldly, inwardly I'm jumping up and down, finally a place away from my fucking family, somewhere to build a reputation and trust until I can finally, "to Seattle," she finishes with a sick smile. FUCKING NO WAY IN HELL.

"Before you protest, you should know that your other choice is retirement." Well, between James and death, it's a close race, but James barely ekes out ahead, providing of course that I get my own quarters. If I have to share with that pig again, I'll gut him.

"Edward, you proved yourself my son once, show me more, and I might change my mind, disappoint me and I'll simply leave you to rot with your brother to babysit you." I want to kill her, I could do it, I could end her now, but it would accomplish nothing, it would simply mar my soul, it would break me, and she fucking knows it. Someday I will see you dead, vile bitch. I nod, furious, then turn and walk out of her office. One way or another, I'm going to Seattle.

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

"Blondie, I fucking hate this as much as you, probably even more," She glares daggers at me.

"Really fucking unlikely, Honey," she shouts at me, "If you don't have anything more than fucking Peter Conrad to give me, then shut the fuck up."

Fuck this, I'm not spending my life in this fucking cell waiting for Conrad to get off his assignment and come rescue me. Time for another long shot, sometimes they pay off, after all.

"I have one more name, but he might not even be Sanctum. Conrad called a man named Carlisle."

Blondie stops midstride and stares at me, "No. Fucking. Way." She breathes.

Jackpot.

* * *

><p><strong>AN - I appreciate the value of reviews more than ever. Please give feedback and tell me what you think of the story. **

**I'm posting this chapter now because it feels like it's ready now, and I wanted to give more Edward, since last chapter was more Jasper history. **

**I'm looking for a beta, PM me if you're interested. I feel like this story has lots of little pieces coming together, they intersect and build on each other, and it's much easier finding things that don't make sense when you are outside the writing. I've gone through about 4 drafts of this chapter, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's at least one or two things that don't make a whole lot of sense.**


	3. Frenzied Retreat

Sanctum

Chapter 3 – Frenzied Retreat

**Disclaimer: This is an M-rated story, it contains violence, language, and hot, steamy man-lovin'. Don't read if you don't like that or aren't 18 yet. This fic is unbeta'd, which means all mistakes and continuity errors are mine alone, if you are interested in Beta'ing this story, let me know through PM.  
><strong>

**I don't own anything twilight, Stephanie Meyer does.**

Jpov

Within an hour of capturing the mysterious man in black, all teams were back on base, within 2, we were certain that no other Volturi operatives had circumvented our security. Alice and Emmett were among the happiest to hear this, as they had been guarding Esme, and were still dead on their feet from the grueling two days they'd had.

The teams reporting back had identified, much to their dismay, a pattern of Volturi behavior clearly intended to draw as many agents from base as possible without actually engaging in direct conflict. Every team reported that their targets had scrambled after half an hour of tentative standoffs, Sanctum generally unwilling to initiate violence, and the Volturi not inciting it by illegal actions. Upon receiving the barrage of fruitless reports, Esme became livid. When all available intel was pooled, a very obvious timeline presented itself. The Volturi activities tracked and countered during those 5 hours between 9 pm and 2 am were all constructed farces, and no headway was made against them at all. Given Esme's state of mind, Rose was adamant that she not confront the prisoner directly, I backed Rose. I wasn't convinced the man had nefarious intentions toward Esme, but at the same time, something about him seemed dangerous. I followed my own advice, and stayed away from him (I may or may not have walked by the holding area a couple times without checking on him)

After the base was secure, and all the teams had dispersed to their various duties or respective residences, I made my way back to the Tech Lab to find Carlisle tinkering with an epoxy solution he intended to plug the gap with. I assisted him in the synthesis for the next 3 hours, and we got a trainee to shimmy through the ceiling so he could level the epoxy off while it was still drying. We applied the solution, and the result was a spectacularly perfect cement-like block that conformed to the exact shape of the breach and would likely last for decades.

It was almost 8 in the morning by the time we were done. We received an alert from the guard on duty with Rose in the holding cell that the prisoner was awake. I pointedly ignored this, aware that Carlisle saw the flush coloring my face when I first read the alert.

"It happens to the best of us, Jasper," he said quietly, mistaking my flush for embarrassment. I met his eyes, and the piercing blue gaze made me flush deeper, remembering green eyes staring into mine while a hard body thrust wantonly against me.

"I heard from Rosalie that she wants to spend some time training with you, if you're up for it. You were very brave, but you know she thinks of you as a brother. If anything were to happen to you… especially something that could be prevented…" He trailed off, his eyes growing sad, "Let me just say that in this business, colleagues become like family. I've lost so many brothers, sisters, daughters, sons… I want you to consider taking her up on her offer, Jasper, if not for your own safety, then for Esme's and my peace of mind."

"I'm sorry, Carlisle, I was careless, and I have every intention of training with Rose," I was perfectly serious, "it never really struck me before tonight that I'd ever face something like that alone. I was out of my depth." I thought back to the struggle once more, trying to analyze my actions until memories of the kiss blocked out all dispassionate self-assessment. I found myself daydreaming about tousled bronze hair, warm, wet lips, and piercing green eyes. Yes, the Volturi were dangerous, especially where my focus and reason were concerned. I cursed inwardly at my budding obsession, _note to self, stay away from holding cells, don't think about kissing, licking, or any other non-violent physical contact with any Volturi, professionalism is key, Jasper, keep it together._

* * *

><p><em>2 years, 9 months ago<em>

"Welcome back, son," Carlisle clasped my hand warmly, "How was New York?"

"Well, apparently I'm ideally suited to work in the Medical branch of our little operation, who'd have predicted that?" I grinned. I'd already volunteered, but apparently protocol at Sanctum dictates that any new recruits must go through 3 sets of aptitude and temperament tests with two months in between each set before being officially assigned.

"Well, I knew you'd be the one to take over from Harry, Jasper. When we lost him, we considered trying to transfer someone in, but your rather serendipitous arrival was just the ticket. It's been many years since I've seen hands as steady as yours, and for someone with no medical schooling, you are remarkably well versed in primary care." My chest swelled with pride at the high praise, and I threw up a silent thanks to Angela and Ben, whose children's presence in our department gave me a chance to become acquainted with treating everything from the flu to broken bones over my 2 years there. Carlisle's eyes twinkled, "Now that you're officially part of our staff, I'm feel completely comfortable stepping aside, but I wanted you to be forewarned: a few of the women on base have noticed our brilliant, young, and undeniably attractive young doctor." I swear he blushed a little when he called me attractive. He definitely averted his gaze, not that I was uncomfortable, "You might get more than a few.. erm… flirtatious 'accident' victims now that they won't be playing the odds to be treated by you. Don't be afraid to assert yourself or make your interest, or indeed, disinterest clear. When you are as isolated as some Sanctum agents tend to be, hormones can get the better of people. Be firm, and they'll get the message soon enough." I sighed and nodded.

"I suppose if I were actually interested in someone, it wouldn't bother me so much. I guess I thought that being openly gay would make things… easier? But nobody reads the damn files except me, and of course, some women seem to take it as an affront to their gender, or a challenge, or some shit like that when you actually tell them." I hadn't lied about my preference since Charlie died, but neither did I advertise it, I simply told overly rambunctious female operatives that they were wasting their time with me. I'm pretty sure at least Makenna thought I was joking or playing hard to get.

"I don't suppose you'd warn me in advance if you know the who or the when, Carlisle?" He smiled thinly at me.

"Take it as a compliment, Jasper. Trust me, it doesn't last forever, so I won't deny you the pleasure of fending off the masses, besides, there's no teacher like experience." He was definitely blushing now, and I grinned at him, recognizing that he spoke from personal experience.

"Carlisle, you dirty old man!" I exclaimed, covering my mouth with both hands in my horror at that mental image. He glared at me in mock seriousness. I chuckled lightly, "Don't be mad at me, you're just suffering from the embitterment of age and failing looks." Carlisle was still a stunningly attractive man, though nearly fifty, so I didn't worry about him taking offense.

"I didn't say it _never_ happens to me anymore, Whitlock, It's not like I fend off Esme when she's overcome with—"

"Okay, okay! Stop please, Carlisle. There are some mental images I don't want to consider. Ever." One of the highest on this list is anyone my mother's age getting freaky. Claire Whitlock is one of the sweetest women in the world, and she has never had sex, with the possible exception of the one time when she conceived me. Even then, it was passionless, soundless, and there was a minimum of skin on skin contact. Who knows, i might have even been an immaculate conception...

"Thanks for the heads up, in any case, Carlisle, and let me know how many shifts you want to take. I have to set up a training rotation and find out who has first aid and triage skills on base."

Carlisle nodded to me, "I'll get my schedule to you later, right now, I'm late for a hot.. erm.. a meeting with Esme."

"Begone, devil!" He did not just say he's going to get frisky with my boss, kill me now.

* * *

><p><em>2 weeks later<em>

Carlisle was nearing the end of his shift, and we were having a small break, him for tea and me for coffee. I had been observing his interactions with some of the younger personnel and noticed a distinctly fatherly air to his manner with them. Esme also seemed to mother the younger people on base.

"Carlisle," I asked, "If you don't mind my asking, why did you and Esme never have children of your own?" He froze in his chair with his cup halfway to his lips, then set the cup back down with a small _chink_. He smoothed out the napkin on the table in front of him and his expression flickered through several emotions, pain, wistfulness, anger, before settling into an unseeing impassive stare.

"We never felt that raising a child would be fair to them while we were working with Sanctum. Had we been otherwise employed, our passion might not have been split as much, but due to the circumstances under which we took up this cause..." He trailed off.

"But you were married for years before you joined sanctum, weren't you?" I asked, having constructed a makeshift timeline in my head from the bits of conversation absorbed over the last few months. Carlisle and Esme had told me hundreds of small stories about the beginning years of their marriage.

"Just under a year, actually. I never told you this story in its entirety, Jasper. I will tell you about Esme and I, and why we joined Sanctum, but then I would prefer not to speak on it again." His hands were trembling on the napkin, and his eyes were bright, as if filling with tears.

"It's alright, Carlisle, you don't have to tell me, I –"

"No, you should know. Everyone who is part of Sanctum should understand the sorts of people we deal with, and part of that includes Esme's story. And mine."

"Esme and I met while she was visiting London with her family in the summer of 1987. I was a prominent surgeon, and she was an heiress. I believe her parents hoped for her to find such a match, but it didn't matter to either of us. We were in love. Within 3 months of meeting, we were engaged, We married within a year, the date was April 12, 1988. Since she had no pressing concerns or roots binding her to the US, she moved to London and lived with me in my family's ancestral home. All my family loved her, and they supported the match. She quickly became best friends with my brother, Alistair's wife Charlotte, and everything was wonderful.

"About 10 months after our wedding, Esme was kidnapped. I had no idea at the time. The police refused to open a case for two days, since there was no evidence to suggest anything more sinister than her leaving me. I knew she was in trouble, so I used my considerable influence to strong-arm Scotland Yard to begin an investigation.

"24 hours after she disappeared, I received a ransom demand from the kidnappers, it was baffling, because they did not ask for money. Instead, they asked that I endorse several parliamentary candidates and denounce one of my closest friends publicly. It was the Volturi, and they wanted me to help them gain political power through elections. I had no idea what to do, but they warned me against approaching the police. I turned to family instead.

"I showed Alistair the ransom demand, and he was the one that made the Volturi connection. I had never heard of them, and he said he wasn't surprised. He revealed to me that his best friend at university had been murdered, and that he had found out about the Volturi and Sanctum as a result. He was a high ranking member of the London cell of Sanctum.

"Alistair used his Sanctum resources to track down the Volturi, the ransom demand had a timeframe of 2 months in which I was to lend all possible support to the political causes the Volturi picked, so while Alistair worked behind the scenes, I kept up my end of the ransom demand. Alistair begged me not to, telling me that the Volturi would only gain power if I did as they asked. He told me that Esme would not be returned to me if I did as the Volturi asked, but I could not let them kill her. I would not let them kill her or my.." Carlisle bit off whatever he was going to say. I threw a questioning glance at him, but he was lost in memory and did not notice.

"Time came for the Volturi to return Esme. There was a week left in the timeframe, and Alistair finally tracked down the location where they were holding her. He and his forces arrived just in time to keep the Volturi from killing her, but our…" He choked off the words, again unable to continue with his narrative. Something more horrible than the kidnapping happened, I was sure of it, but if I pressed, he most likely would not continue at all.

"We got Esme to a safe location, and I immediately went to the press, revealing the entire story of the kidnapping. With only a week to go until the election, I was not sure I could undo whatever damage had been done, but word spread, and the Volturi candidates were buried in the scandal."

Carlisle was quiet for a moment, and I was almost convinced that the story was over, I opened my mouth to speak, but he raised one of his hands to stop me. He kept quiet for a few more minutes. I waited tensely. Finally he began to speak again.

"After the.. After, Esme could not bear to live in our house in London, walk past the…" He drew a ragged breath, "Alistair was wonderfully supportive, but he couldn't understand fully what we had been through. Esme was a different person, still loving, but she was colder, she was filled with an unspoken rage. I tried to convince her to let the past go, I tried to move on, but she couldn't forget… she couldn't forget what they had done to her… what they had taken…

"I couldn't forget, but I wanted desperately to rebuild, Esme refused. We moved to the United States, and she began a crusade, she used her father's business connections to find contacts among the police and intelligence agencies, she single-handedly brought Sanctum to the US and found out that the Volturi were operating in Los Angeles. She took up the mission, and never looked back. This became our life, our purpose."

Carlisle finally looked up at me, and I'm sure the horror on my face was clear, "I had no idea, Carlisle, I'm so sorry."

He shrugged wearily, "The Volturi are evil, this we know. The reason we have no children is because of the burden Esme still bears. She couldn't stand trying to bring an—a child into the world while the Volturi were still rampant." Carlisle pushed back from the table, picking up his cane and standing, "I don't tell you this to gain your pity, Jasper. It is true that few have suffered as much as Esme suffered, but I tell you this to show you why we fight." He nodded to me and I remained quiet, after a moment Carlisle turned and left me to my thoughts.

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

"Well, Jasper, shall we get some breakfast?" Carlisle smiled, "The day's wasting away already, and I know you've been up for awhile. I'll buy you some coffee, and you can lend me an arm so I don't have to use the damn cane." I nodded, noticing that I was actually famished. I'd have to stay up for another couple hours anyway, since the next watch wouldn't begin until noon, and the current watch was exhausted from their time in the field. "Lead the way, Carlisle," I motioned to the door, offering my arm.

I heard a ping from my laptop as someone initiated a comm. link with my office, "Carlisle," I heard Rose's voice come over the comm. channel, I quirked an eyebrow at Carlisle and he shrugged, following me to the office and sitting in my chair to talk with Rosalie, "What can I do for you, Ms. Hale?" Rose made a face at the Miz, but didn't comment on it, "Carlisle, the prisoner has been saying some really odd things, he mentioned a deal 4 years ago and thought he'd heard the name 'Carlisle' in connection to the whole thing, any idea what he might be talking about?"

Carlisle looked stupefied, "Could you give me any specifics, Rosalie?"

"Tell him Edward Masen made a deal with Peter Conrad, and Conrad called a 'Carlisle' to arrange a faked death." I heard a velvety voice come from somewhere off the screen, sounding somewhat exasperated. The sound went straight to my cock, and I knew it was him. _Edward, so that's his name. _ "Sheesh, Blondie, could you have been more vague?" Rose glared off over the console she was looking into before returning her attention to the screen, "Carlisle, are you alright?" Concern sprang up on her face and I glanced at Carlisle, he looked as if he had seen a ghost. I could see his emotions shifting from shock to horror, then finally settle on fear, I raised an eyebrow in silent question, but he shook his head minutely, almost as if he didn't want Rose to see.

"He's could be the truth, Rosalie" Carlisle said, voice tight, "I remember the incident, but I have no clue _who_ the Volturi involved was. Conrad may not even have gotten a name. It's very possible that they merely uncovered the man who Conrad dealt with and used the information to try and make us lower our guard. I'll send Jasper down to collect prints, maybe we can verify this man's identity. In the meantime, you should get some rest. I'll let Esme know what's going on. I know she's resting after this morning's frenzy." I sensed that there was more to this than Carlisle was saying. I knew for a fact that Esme was still in her office, having talked with her not five minutes before concerning our patch job. Rose nodded and Carlisle immediately cut off the transmission, he then opened a channel to the Ops center, "Ms. Swan, this is Carlisle Cullen, I need you to send a communiqué to London, addressed to Jason Jenks, It should read 'Top priority, must have face to face with agent Peter Conrad at earliest possible date. Need physical confirmation of possible Volturi defector, Edward Masen.' Sign it with my name and mark it as eyes-only, and Ms. Swan… Do not tell my wife."

My eyes went wide with shock, I had never even considered the possibility of Carlisle keeping things from Esme, because they had such a deep trust toward one another. I tried to wrap my head around the knowledge that this Edward Masen, the man who had broken in to Sanctum, who had kissed me and practically allowed himself to be caught, could create a barrier between Carlisle and Esme so easily. Clearly he could not be trusted if Carlisle reacted so violently to him.

Carlisle's face was still pale, and I noticed a tremor in his hand as he cut off Bella's comm. link. He quickly accessed the Sanctum file database and typed in a search for "Masen", 3 names popped up immediately, and I leaned over his shoulder to read:

**Victoria Masen**

**Frank Masen**

**James Masen**

Carlisle searched for "Edward Masen" :

**0 results returned**

He pounded the desk in front of him. "How?" He muttered quietly, rubbing his forehead with one hand. Carlisle turned to me, his face grim.

"Jasper, I need to ask you to do me a favor, you must realize you can say no, but you are one of 3 people I trust without reservation. I've worked with you for over 3 years now, and you have never broken faith with me."

I gulped, not sure I was comfortable with where this was going.

"If this man really is named Edward Masen, he may truly be a danger to us, but he is also in danger himself. I didn't tell you this before because I wanted to spare you the details. My wife was traumatized in a major way by her kidnapping. She was comatose for 3 months after we rescued her, and has never truly dealt with the psychological scars she bears as a result of what she went through. If she finds out someone claiming to be a relative of Victoria Masen is in our holding cells, I have no doubt that she will try to kill him. Victoria Masen was the mastermind behind her kidnapping, and was one of the only people involved that we were never able to catch. If this man is her son, and is the age you describe, I believe she may have been pregnant with this Edward, and thus under our radar at the time. We have not had more than whispers of her activities or whereabouts for over 20 years. She went completely off grid about 6 months before Esme was kidnapped, and never came back to society, though she resurfaced in rumor and in our operation intelligence about 5 months after the kidnapping.

"Most of our information has been gained by Volturi operatives my brother interrogated. We have been able to ascertain that she rose through the ranks of the Volturi, and have strong reason to believe that she is the head of Volturi operations in London, but she remains elusive and virtually untouchable."

"What does this have to do with me, Carlisle? I can't override Esme, she's the head of the base."

"Jasper, I will try and smooth things over, but time is of the essence. You are in a unique position to be able to remove Masen from holding without going through Esme. I want you to inject him with a mild sedative and a vasodilator to make him appear feverish and delirious. While you are "fingerprinting" him, tell Rose that you need to take him to the Medical Bay. Bring him here as soon as possible, and I will prepare everything you need. I'll try and keep Esme in the dark for as long as I can, but I wouldn't be surprised if Masen's name is already in a report sitting on her desk.

"Remember, Jasper, do not tell Rosalie what you intend to do, she would never collude in a plan that purposely circumvents Esme's wishes, so the only option is for her to remain ignorant."

By this time, I felt like I was having a mild panic attack, "You want me to… babysit…" I gulped, remembering my visceral physical reactions to Masen earlier in the day.

"Just until I can verify with Conrad whether or not this man is a genuine defector, after that, I can transfer him away if Esme can't handle him on base. Please, Jasper, go now." Carlisle ran his hands through his hair as he always did when agitated or frustrated. I had never heard him sound so urgent or concerned in the years since I had met him. I wanted to say no, the thought of being alone with Masen, let alone in close physical contact worried me to no end. I considered my options briefly. There was only one solution. Carlisle's plea, coupled with his obvious nerves convinced me to simply nod and gather my equipment.

As soon as I was prepared, I headed for the holding cells, rehearsing what I was going to say to Rose, and mentally psyching myself up for the up close and personal with a possible assassin-cum-defector. (**A/N too much? :D)**

_I can control myself,_ I reasoned, _he just caught me off guard. Just like with Matt, and I ended up walking away from that better for the experiences… He's just like a different, way hotter, harmless, possibly murdering, dangerously sensual, not in any way overwhelming version of Matt… Fucking Carlisle, if I jump Masen and he ends up killing me, I'm coming back to haunt his ass. Mmm.. Masen's ass… fucking misplaced modifiers... my life sucks...__  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>10 years ago<em>

When I entered high school, I slowly realized that the dynamic of relationships had shifted since junior high. I had been vaguely aware of girls and boys pairing up for the last two years. It had hovered in my periphery as part of life, but I never really stopped to think about what it meant in my life. At 14 years old, I fully realized that girls were now completely focused on boys, and boys were completely focused on girls. Margaret, my best friend since I was two, would chatter almost non-stop about what boys she thought were attractive, and Benji, my other best friend, looked at Maggie like she was a goddess. Somewhere in my mind, it clicked that people were meant to pair off, my problem was, I didn't see anyone that I considered a goddess.

Maggie was all red curls, she had twinkling grey eyes and freckles, she shared her gum with me, and often did my math homework when I couldn't stand it anymore, but beyond that, there was no ineffable draw to her, I thought that if I ever experienced the draw that Benji did, I'd know what it felt like, the look on his face when he saw Maggie, or her name, or her t-shirt (which I'd borrowed once and never returned, much to Benji's dismay) he'd go dewy eyed and it looked like something simultaneously painful and euphoric shot through him. I knew what it would feel like, maybe I was broken.

I talked to my mom about this phenomenon and she laughed and said, "Jasper, when you find the right girl, she's going to knock you off your feet." Maggie had knocked me off my feet once or twice, but somehow, I didn't think this was what my mom was trying to say.

I grew more concerned about my complete lack of reaction to any girls over the course of the next 2 months. I spent as much time looking at girls as I could budget into my schedule along with my academics and crucial video game and reading appointments (by the end of September, I had convinced my mom to let me buy Baldur's Gate II, which occupied me for several weeks after) Despite this research period, I had no success fixing my lack of physical reaction.

Everything crystallized in my mind one chilly day late in October when Maggie said she'd been invited to a party and I should come along. I felt like she was trying to do me a favor, getting me out of the house and all, so I decided to humor her. Since I went with Maggie, we hung out with her friends, who were all girls. I'd seen groups of girls and boys around school, and every time I hung out with Benji and the other guys, they would spend the entire time pointing out girls, and ranking them according to relative attractiveness. I was always at a loss, because I simply didn't understand the ranking system. Where the other boys would unanimously agree on anything from a 3 (for some reason they never pointed out any "1"s) to a smokin' 10 (which apparently required large breasts and a penchant for makeup), I simply saw various girls I had grown up with, or had classes with.

Then the party happened.

I'd never hung out with Maggie's girlfriends before, but it didn't really come as a shock to me that they did virtually the same thing that the guys did. They would point out a guy, but instead of ranking with a number system, they ranked with giggles and blushes and whispers. I gathered quickly that a giggle with lots of blushing and whispering meant the guy was attractive, and a giggle with no blushing meant he was either less attractive, or weird looking (whispering was a given in any case, but it seemed that the greater the disparity between giggles and blushes, the weirder/uglier the boy looked). The thing was, I found myself relating to the girls more than I ever had with the guys. Then they pointed out Matt, I looked in the direction they were pointing, and I started to blush (though thankfully, not giggle or whisper). He was definitely a smokin' 10 in my book.

I took in his long lean form, he was a sophomore, and a year older than me. He had light brown hair and gorgeous brown eyes, and as I watched him, he glanced my direction and smiled. The world seemed to stop spinning for a moment. He was a god.

Being 14, and suddenly realizing that you're different from all of your friends and acquaintances hurts. I had finally figured out why I didn't fit in, and couldn't find a "Maggie" to my "Benji"… it was because I wanted a "Matt" for my "Jasper". Realizing this scared me, and I felt faintly nauseous. I stammered an apology to Maggie and turned and ran. I heard Maggie calling after me, but I was so afraid that something was wrong, I just kept on running, I never stopped until I barreled through the front door panting. Tears were streaming down my face and I saw my mother appear from the kitchen, "Honey, is something the matter?" She asked, concern evident on her face. I couldn't bear to tell her I was broken so I shook my head, still sobbing, and ran up the stairs, 3 at a time. I slammed the door to my room and flopped onto my bed, shaking and crying, soaking my pillow. I heard my mother's footsteps on the stairs, and I heard my door creak open. A second later, I felt her weight on the edge of the bed, and she put her arms around me, "Jasper," she comforted me, "I love you so much, baby. If there's anything you need to talk to me about, I'm here." I turned back to her and tried to say something, but as soon as I opened my mouth, I started crying again.

"Did something happen at the party, with Maggie?" She probed, still speaking softly and holding me. I nodded furiously, "It's gonna be alright, honey, shh shhh…" She rocked me gently back and forth. Eventually I drifted off to sleep, and my mother left me to myself.

The rest of the weekend, I didn't speak much, I couldn't bear the thought of my mother hating me for being different, so I didn't talk about the party, or Matt, or any of it. I closed it in. On Monday, I went to school, and I felt like my world had changed. Now, I looked at the guys around school, and I realized that some of them were attractive, the long lean lines of some of the track stars, the broad shoulders of some of the boys in gym, the strong hands, firm jaws, straight noses.

Matt was the best, he was incredibly masculine, his hair looked so soft, his lips were plump, and he had the most amazing jaw. Every time I saw him pick something up, or run a hand through his hair, I imagined his hands wrapping around me. I did some research online and found out that I was gay, I'd heard of gay people, but without a proper conception of attraction, it didn't really affect me, now I had a name for what I was. It didn't help matters, because all of the times I'd heard people mention "the gays" or "gay homosexuals" it was in reference to their abnormality, their depravity. I was depraved. I didn't understand why, but I did understand what would happen if I let anyone know.

I watched Matt for the better part of two months before he confronted me, I would see him in some of my classes, and at lunch and gym. I studied his profile, his long legs in tight jeans and his letterman jacket, declaring him a varsity football player, and therefore, a veritable god of high school. I already knew he was a god.

In the last week of school in December, he stopped me as I was leaving school. Virtually nobody was left in the building, since I had been working late on a science project. I rounded the corner with my backpack, and there he was, lounging in the door frame. When he saw me, he stood straight, and I walked up to him, hoping he would let me pass. Instead he just stood there as I halted.

"You're Jasper," he stated, folding his arms across his chest. I swallowed uncomfortably and nodded, not trusting my voice.

"Tell me, Jasper, why do you always watch me?" I looked up at his dark eyes, staring at me, my eyes widened, "I… I-I er… " I tried to think of something to say, but I stuttered to a halt, I took a breath, and was assaulted by his scent, it was warm and clean and very male. I flushed, and Matt took a step closer to me. He was several inches taller than me, so I was staring at his chest, feeling the heat emanating from him. "Well, Jasper?" he said lightly, "Why all the staring? Do you see something you like?" _He knows_. I blushed and shrank back, waiting for him to start yelling at me, or talking about sins and depravity, or any of the other violent reactions I'd noticed more and more over the past 2 months. He unfolded his arms. I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eye, sure I was about to be punched or worse. He caught my chin in one strong hand, thumb brushing across my jaw, he tilted my head up and his dark eyes caught my gaze as he lowered his mouth tentatively to mine. He brushed his lips to mine gently, then withdrew, a small flush staining his cheeks. I couldn't seem to move. He brought his head down again and pressed his lips more firmly to mine. I suddenly regained control of my body and brought my hands up to his chest. I grabbed his jacked and held on for dear life, sure my legs would collapse from the flood of emotions running through me. He let go of my jaw and caught my elbows with his hands, holding me close as our lips moved together. Then, as soon as it started, it was over, he blushed deeply, whispered, "Merry Christmas," turned, and walked away, I stood there for minutes, too stunned to register what had happened.

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

I reached the corridor leading to the holding cells and took a deep breath. I pushed the door open and entered the room, nodding to Patrick (the guard) as I entered. Rose was sitting backwards on a chair in front of the cell, waving a gun with one hand, chewing gum, and bouncing a rubber ball on the ground with her other hand. I would have laughed at the bizarre combination of activities if I weren't so freaked about going behind everyone's back, instead, I simply set down my case and picked out the tablet I'd need. I slipped on a pair of gloves, careful not to let my bare skin touch the outsides of either palm. I picked up the tablet and walked over to the cell.

"Hey Jas," Rose greeted me cheerfully, "Honey here has just been telling me his bullshit life story, sucks for you, having to come down here to confirm that he's the piece of shit we all suspect." Her voice held more venom than normal. I remembered what little Carlisle had let slip about Rose's abuse at the hands of several Volturi before she joined sanctum. I shuddered at the kind of hate she channeled, but she was nothing if not controlled.

"Be careful in there, Jas, I'll let you do your thing, but holler if you need me to come beat him up… Honey here didn't give me a chance to properly thrash him before, I knew I should have taken him out by force, but se la vie." She shrugged, "Honey, don't give Dr. Whitlock here any trouble, or I'll have to kick your ass, and we all know I'd enjoy that more than a little," she said sweetly before retreating to speak with the guard by the door. I eyed Masen pensively, hoping that he wouldn't be as much of a handful as he had been before. Checked him out, er… over briefly, noting a knot on his head. I gently parted his riotous bronze hair to examine the welt where Rose had struck him. I prodded it gently and he hissed, "Fucking let go of me, goddamn meddlesome bastard," he growled under his breath, quietly enough not to draw Rose's attention, "That fucking hurts like hell."

"Fuck you, _Edward," _I said, remembering the confrontation earlier, "If that is indeed your name, I was _trying_ to make sure you didn't have a serious head injury, but if you're going to be a baby about it, then go for it, pansy-ass mercenary." I took out my pent up frustration on Masen, since he was an easy target, and tied to a chair, but rather than spar verbally, he simply slumped in the chair.

"I don't know why I even…" He muttered under his breath.

I glanced over my shoulder at Rose, making sure she was still across the room, then angled my face away from the cameras so that there would be no tipoff as to what I was doing, visual or verbal. "Listen, Masen, I need you to listen to me." I tried to whisper as urgently as possible while attempting to keep my voice from carrying. He must have heard my tone, and he stopped muttering, fixing me with one clear emerald eye.

"My boss thinks you are in danger, and if you're serious about defecting, he cares more about the information than another dead Volturi. I need to get you out of here, but you have to cooperate."

He wasn't even breathing now, I saw a look of something like relief in his single eye, the other still shadowed by the hair overhanging his angular face.

"I have a sedative on one of my gloves, and a drug on the other that will cause you to become flushed, I need you to play along. You'll be slightly groggy and you'll feel warm all over for a few minutes. Don't say anything to Rose or the guard. I'll get you out of here and someplace safe." I paused, suddenly struck with the thought that this could be a setup. Perhaps _Carlisle_ was the one that wanted to punish Masen. Was I taking Edward to his killer? Drugging him so that a cripple would have no trouble dispatching a dose of frontier justice? Should I be trusting Carlisle?

* * *

><p><em>2 years, 1 month ago<em>

"Do it Jasper, I'm not going to sacrifice a life so that I can walk without a limp." Carlisle spat at me, I hesitated for a moment. Torn between the decision to save the wounded Volturi next to me or tend to Carlisle's badly lacerated leg. I knew from experience that if Carlisle went without treatment for the pinched nerves in his thigh, he would likely bear a limp for the rest of his life. Carlisle sighed and picked up a gun, hefting it to point at his temple he said, "I could just kill myself and save you the decision."

"That's not funny, Carlisle, your life is more important than—"

"I'm not dying, Jasper, this man is. Do no harm. It's my decision, and I will never speak to you again if you don't do your best to save this man's life. I won't live with blood on my conscience; I already have enough guilt as it is." I saw the haunted look in his eyes, and I gritted my teeth, turning back to the unconscious Volturi. The gunshot wound to his chest was certainly life threatening. I tore open his shirt, noting that the bullet had likely missed any major organs and vessels. It had, however, shattered a rib, and bone fragments could be as dangerous as shrapnel if they weren't removed quickly. I took out a scalpel and felt the man's flesh part as I cut into his chest and began surgery. Hopefully he would not come to, but if he did, there was no sedative I could give him.

A week before, we had received word that a major Volturi scheme was going into effect. Esme made a judgment call, even though this was a massive op. We tried to take down the warehouse quietly, but it had turned into a 2 day siege. Carlisle and I were separated from the others for a few hours right at the end, and I had been forced to shoot the Volturi that caught us by surprise and shattered Carlisle's leg.

Despite what must have been massive pain, Carlisle adhered to triage principles with no regard for personal discomfort. He was, first and foremost, a healer. He had been somewhat reluctant to help with the mission, but since all 5 teams of field agents were going to be in an extremely tense and volatile situation, Esme decided that having the two of us on the ground was necessary. She even ordered non-lethal tactics when possible, just to convince Carlisle to go.

I finished digging all the visible pieces of bone out of the man's chest, as well as the bullet, then I stanched the bleeding and sutured up a small vessel that had been severed. I stitched the man closed and bandaged his wound, fairly confident that he would at least suffer no fatal wounds until we could verify with an x-ray that the bone fragments had all been removed.

Carlisle was grey, his face drawn. His eyes were closed, and I didn't see his chest rising and falling. I panicked, swiftly crawling over to him, "Carlisle! You can't sleep, you might go into shock from the trauma to your leg." Carlisle's eyes fluttered open.

"I'm fine, Jasper, just tired. I'm pretty sure a broken leg won't kill me, but your concern is appreciated."

Just then I heard Garrett's voice crackle over the radio, indicating all clear in his quadrant. It was the last area to be secured, and I sighed in relief, knowing that finally the siege was over.

When all was said and done, the Volturi I had shot was in the worst shape of anyone. There were a few cuts and broken bones among our operatives (the ones who, like Emmett preferred hand-to-hand takedowns to the horror of tranquilizers, but who, unlike Emmett, got hurt when they tried to man up). Alice had a nasty burn from a bullet graze, but only a burn, no laceration. I was shocked that she'd gotten wounded at all. I'd never even seen her with mussed hair, she simply avoided danger, almost as if she could tell where not to be at any given time. She said it had happened when Garrett came under fire. Those two were going to give me a heart attack, always putting themselves into unreasonable danger when both were perfectly competent agents not prone to careless injury.

I talked with Esme , convincing her to separate them for their own safety. She agreed, because after all, I was right.

When we returned to base, I performed surgery on Carlisle's leg, hoping against hope that the damage suffered in the precious minutes before I could treat him would heal. Unfortunately, the nerve damage was simply too extensive. I consulted several specialists, but there was no treatment that would provide any hope of recovery, so his leg would always pain him. He took the news well, and though I could tell he would suffer, I also knew that he considered it well worth a life, even if that life was Volturi.

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

As I recalled Carlisle's injury, my worry abated immediately, I quickly brushed both gloves along one of Masen's arms, a bolt of fiery heat seared through my palms where my hands made contact with his skin, even through gloves. He started slightly and his gaze locked with mine, another tingle shot through me, and I could feel my body reacting to his proximity. Footsteps approaching startled me out of my daze.

"Jasper, it can't possibly take you this long to fingerprint this asshole." Rose glared through the open door at Masen.

"Relax, Rose, I just checked his head, wouldn't want him dying from a concussion or cerebral hemorrhaging before you get a chance to really have a go at him, do you?" The words "really have a go at him" incited another inappropriate reaction from my traitorous body. I took his right hand and pressed each of his fingers to the pad before activating the scan option, I held his hand to the tablet until the scanning bar had swept across, then I noticed he was flushed, and assumed the mild drugs on my gloves had worked their way into his system. Time for my performance then.

I stripped off my gloves, pocketing them gingerly, then I pressed the back of my hand to his cool forehead. His gaze snapped to me again, and I felt yet another shock travel to my groin.

"Rose, he's burning up, can you tell Carlisle and see what he wants me to do?"

"For Christ's sake, Whitlock, he's a bad guy, not your boyfriend," she threw up her hands, turning away and moving to the desk once again. I was supremely glad for this, because at the mention of boyfriends, a vivid image of Edward and I holding hands, locking lips, tangled together in a passionate ... anyway, an image flashed through my head, and my cock grew completely rigid in my jeans. I quickly slipped a hand into my pocket and adjusted my junk before anyone could notice.

Rose returned and her eyes were flashing, "Carlisle said you should bring him to the Medical Bay and make sure it's not something life threatening. I can go with if you want"

I shook my head, "Just help me shackle his legs so he can't run, I can take him myself. Besides, if it's something catching, probably best if you aren't exposed." I reasoned. She nodded and got a pair of shackles from the wall. We cut Masen's ties and fastened the cuffs around his wrists and ankles, then I hauled him out of the chair and he sagged against me, groggy from the sedative.

I slung his arm over my shoulder and he stumbled along beside me as I left the holding cell. Rose watched me leave, hands on her hips, her expression somewhere between pity for me and hatred for Edward.

As I was hauling him along, Edward felt like dead weight, "Masen, I'm pretty sure there wasn't enough sedative to knock you out, and you're fucking heavy, give us a hand here?" I gritted my teeth as I spoke. He was practically hugging me, one arm around my shoulders, the other trailing up my chest, propped there by his shackles. He shook his head, as if trying to clear it, then slumped against me once more.

I growled and continued to haul his mostly limp form toward the Medical Bay. We were almost there when I felt something warm and wet on my neck. He was fucking kissing and licking my neck! I jerked away from him, and he looked up at me, a drugged out smile on his face, "Jack," he said simply, and dove back onto my neck, biting and licking, marking me. I felt him sag against me, and my legs gave out under his dead weight. We tumbled to the floor, him on top of me in a startlingly erotic variation of our first meeting. I could feel his entire body pressed flush against mine, his hard muscles pressing deliciously into me. I grew painfully hard.

I disentangled his arms from around my neck and shoved him away, he slumped onto his back and I scrambled toward the wall, panting from arousal. I felt my face grow hot with embarrassment at my lack of control. _Dammit, Jasper, pull yourself together. He's a Volturi, and quite possibly in imminent danger, fucking act like a grown up for once in your fucking life._ I got unsteadily to my knees and approached Masen's body, shaking him to wake him. His eyes flickered open, slightly clearer now that the sedative was wearing off.

"Where the fuck?—" he started to question me, "We're almost to the Medical Bay, but you passed out, we need to move _NOW_." I wasn't sure what kind of timeframe we had, but even if Esme wasn't aware of Masen yet, we still needed to figure out how to protect him until this Conrad fellow could be reached. I held out a hand and he shook his head to clear it once more, then grabbed my hand in both of his and hauled himself up. I helped him swing his arms around my neck once more and we set off again, him still stumbling slightly, but walking much quicker than before.

We reached the medical bay and I looked around for Carlisle, but couldn't see him anywhere. Then I noticed a sheet of paper on the desk where Carlisle had been sitting. On top of the paper was a gun, a hypodermic injector, a set of keys, and what looked like a small remote. I picked up all the articles and read the note:

_Jasper,_

_I can't wait for you to return, I need to go and keep Esme occupied while you get clear. The gun is for your protection, it has tranquilizing rounds, but there's a clip in the desk with live rounds if you feel you need it. The injector has a device in it that I hope will keep Masen in line. It is a sedative and tracker in one. Once injected, you can activate it using the remote. If it goes active, I'll know you are in trouble, and will make every effort to protect you. The keys are to my Aston Martin Vanquish, not very low profile, but in addition to the car keys, there is also a key to an apartment I keep in the city. I hoped never to use that key, but felt that if Esme and I were ever desperate, we should have an out. I've programmed the address into my car's GPS, simply type in "Esme" and you will go to the right place. Leave your phone, there is a prepaid one in the apartment that I will contact you on when Conrad arrives, you can also call me if you need anything. There is cash in the apartment, so you should be fine for months if necessary. I'm sorry to throw you into the middle of this feud, I'll explain everything, to everyone, when I get a chance to. _

_Good luck and Godspeed,_

_Carlisle_

I finished reading the letter, then folded it and tucked it into my pocket. I holstered the gun and retrieved the extra clip from the desk. Edward had slumped into the desk chair and was watching me warily. I approached him with the injector and he shrank back.

"You said your boss thinks I'm in danger," Masen began, "Why can't she protect me?"

"The head of the cell is the one you're in danger from, it's her husband that is trying to protect you, Masen." His eyes widened at this, and he inhaled sharply, I was afraid for a moment that he would hyperventilate or try to run, but he simply sat there, processing. I pressed on, "Now listen, he's not going to be here, so we need to establish some sort of trust. You're Volturi, and I'm Sanctum, but if we don't work together, we can't leave completely undetected, which is worse for you than it is for me, but is still bad for me." I paused, not sure if the last sentence made sense, but then shook my head slightly and continued, "I'm going to need to take your shackles off," Masen had the nerve to smirk at me, "Before you get any ideas, I'm not just letting you go." I brought up the injector and plunged it into his muscular left shoulder before he had a chance to react. I pulled the trigger and he shrieked.

"Fucking, shit, fuck, ASSHOLE! THAT FUCKING BURNS!" He grabbed his shoulder and rubbed it rapidly with his right hand.

"Calm the fuck down, Masen, for God's sake, you'd think you'd never had a shot before, quit being immature." He quieted, glaring at me.

"Now, as I was saying, I'm not letting you go, I've just injected you with a capsule that will knock you out and keep you that way until you can be retrieved, so don't even think about running or attacking me. I won't hesitate to stop you." He nodded sullenly, and I pulled out a lock pick. I knelt in front of him and freed his ankles, then did the same for his wrists. He rubbed them as if they'd been bound for hours. I rolled my eyes.

I noticed he was wearing his black getup from before, and a thought struck me. "Masen, you need to change clothes," I said, "If anyone sees you walking around base in that getup, they'll know you aren't Sanctum." Edward stared at me dumbly.

I gestured to my own jeans and long sleeved blue t-shirt. "Everyone on base goes around in civvies when they're off duty, and since we're trying to appear off duty, you should be wearing something a little less… I'm-on-my-way-to-shoot-somebody."

Edward narrowed his eyes, "Shit, Jasper, I left my Hawaiian shirt in my cell, I'll just run back and get it, shall I?" I hate being mocked.

"What the hell is your problem, Masen? I'm trying to save your life here. I have a change of clothes in the next room, you'll have to change out in the open though, I can't let you out of my sight while we're in the base."

Edward's smirked at me, "Fine, I'll wear your fucking clothes, and I'll let you watch me change, Whitlock, but you'd better keep your hands to yourself. I know I'm beautiful, but I'm not just a piece of meat, you know." I turned away from him so he wouldn't see my furiously blushing face.

"Fuck you, Masen." I retorted lamely. He had the nerve to laugh, then he retrieved the clothes from the other room and quickly stripped down, facing away from me. I didn't peek… much.

When Edward was safely clothed in a pair of my dark wash jeans and a black button up, I tossed him a baseball cap. "Cover up your hair, no men on base have hair even close to that shade." He did as I requested, then I noticed him pulling the shirt up to his nose and sniffing, "Come on, Masen, stop being a baby, I only wore that shirt once, it can't smell that bad." He dropped the shirt, having the decency to look suitably embarrassed at his behavior.

I turned and headed out the door, "Now, Masen, follow me, and keep your head down until we're off base." Edward seemed to understand the full gravity of the situation, and whether from fear of that, or concern over the capsule I'd injected into him, he didn't protest as I led him out toward the Motor Pool.

The only person we saw on the way to the car was Makenna. I saw her coming before she saw me and motioned for Edward to duck into a recessed door frame. She looked up at me as she passed.

"Hey, Doc," she said, sidling up to me and gripping my bicep, "Long time, no see. We missed you out there tonight, not that we had any fun." I nodded to her, sweat trickling down my neck from nerves. I was sure she would see Edward in the door frame any second. I grabbed her by the waist and swung her around so her back was to the door.

"Sorry, darlin'" I said, "I have to get to the motor pool, I have a bet with Emmett." I spared a glance at the door and was shocked to not see Edward crouching in the frame. Mak nodded at me, then turned to leave. I also turned, intending to continue on, then double back to find out what the hell had happened to Edward.

"One more thing, Doc," Mak said, milliseconds before she grabbed a handful of my ass and squeezed, hard.

"Mak!" I exclaimed, spinning to face her. She had already turned and I watched as she sashayed away down the corridor, laughing her head off. She disappeared around the corner and I relaxed.

"She looks like fun." I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard Edward's voice next to me, the door was swinging closed behind him and I frowned.

"How the hell did you get in there?" I asked, "You need a—" Edward held up my keycard with two fingers, smirking at me again. I grabbed at my back pocked and he held up my wallet in his other hand, "Please, Doc, you didn't even notice that fine gal sneaking up on you til she grabbed your ass. Picking your pocket is almost as easy as getting you to blush, though not quite as much fun… maybe if I threw in a little ass-grab…" he trailed off, still smirking. I fucking blushed _again_. Determined to avoid digging myself in any deeper, I didn't respond, merely snatched my key card and wallet back and started walking in the direction of the cars once again.

When we reached the lot, I looked around quickly to see that nobody was in the area, then I unlocked the black and silver Vanquish with Carlisle's keys. I got in and started to buckle my seatbelt. Looking out the windshield, I saw Edward, standing in front of the car and gawking.

"Masen, if you don't get your ass into the car, I'm leaving without you," I threatened. He snapped out of his daze and opened the door, sliding lithely into his seat. He started running his hands over the entire interior, awe written clearly across his face. I had to admit it was a lovely car, though not being one for appearances, I couldn't say it made that much difference to me. I turned the key in the ignition and the engine purred to life. I jabbed the GPS with a finger, then typed in ESME and a map popped up. I drove to the door, entered my security code, and waited for the gate to go up before pulling out onto the road and turning into traffic.

* * *

><p>Looking back over the last few years, I was surprised to note that I'd only left the base a handful of times when not on operations. It wasn't that leaving base was discouraged, or that it was complicated or laborious, I just didn't have a reason to leave.<p>

I knew for a fact that Bella spent every Friday night with Angela and Ben, playing games and catching up. Emmett and Rose went on dates at least 2 nights a week, and most of the other base personnel had similar schedules. Those of us that lived on base did so out of convenience. The accommodations were provided by Sanctum for anyone who chose to avail themselves. The rooms were extraordinarily nice for the overall austerity of the base. Living on base, as the Cullens, Rose and Emmett, the Brandons, Bella, me, and a few others did was simply easier.

For team leaders like Alice and Garrett, and crucial personnel like Rose, Bella and I (and of course Carlisle and Esme) being on base all the time just meant that if a situation arose, we were already on hand.

Recruits were encouraged to live on base for 6 months to get used to the duty hours, training schedule, and to be in closer proximity to their skills teachers, but after agents were trained, they were encouraged to blend into their former lives as much as possible. The difference for many of us is that we had no former lives to blend into.

I certainly had no life worth keeping before I joined Sanctum. My only living relative is in Texas, I had no boyfriend, no colleagues who I cared overly to keep in touch with.

Similarly, Alice and Garret, Rose and Emmett, Esme and Carlisle had all transplanted from California, so none of them had strong ties to the area. Sighing at my lack of a life, I vacantly followed the directions to the apartment Carlisle had set up as a safe house. Edward remained silent for the entire trip, though he did keep glancing at me, looking away whenever I noticed. I felt like asking him what his glitch was, but he somehow kept making me blush, and I didn't want to open myself up for more teasing.

We arrived at the apartment in under 10 minutes. The parking garage was opened by an RFID device that (thankfully) the Vanquish was equipped for. The key indicated that the safe house was on the top floor of the building. I didn't know quite what to expect, having not spent much time in this part of Seattle. When we got to the elevator, I was surprised that the top floor required the key to access, surely Carlisle didn't buy the _entire_ floor. I inserted the key and punched the button, Edward's eyebrows shot up when he saw this, but he didn't comment.

The elevator was opulent, spacious, and quite the nicest I'd ever been in, not that that's saying much. My experiences with elevators consisted of the shitty police station ones that always smelled of urine and vomit, my apartment building with its antiquated device moving slower than you could comfortably stroll up stairs (I tended to take the stairs to save time), and the one at the apartment Bella and I worked from, which was run down, and shabby, but altogether adequate. This was positively luxurious with gleaming metal and dark wood paneling. The carpet seemed to be new, I wondered what the apartment would look like.

We arrived on the top floor and stepped off the elevator I gasped at the safe house. Edward also gaped as he took in the view, trailing slowly behind me. The entire space was surrounded in windows, all directions. We were in the middle of the space, and the elevator was set into a wall that extended the full span of the building. We were obviously in the living area of the apartment. I assumed that the other half was bedrooms and private spaces. To the right, a kitchen was spread out, with beautiful black marble counters and a black marble island separating it from the rest of the floor. Beyond that, toward the corner of the building, was a glass-walled music room with a full sized grand piano and what looked like an extremely extensive collection of sheet music in several large bookcases arranged around the inner walls. On our side of the kitchen was a dining area with a huge oak table stained so dark it was nearly black, the chairs around it were the same style with plush white fabric covering the backs and seats. The rest of the living area was arranged as a living room with several nooks for privacy. There were bookshelves and tables with chairs arranged all around. In the center of the floor was a leather couch with several matching chairs and a matching loveseat. There was also an expansively large television affixed to the one small portion of wall that was not glass. I suspected the solid wall was only there for the television.

All around the glass walls, on the outside, was a terrace overlooking the city. There was a greenhouse-like structure along one wall with dozens or maybe hundreds of plants blooming and in various stages of growth, all looked very well tended. I wondered who looked after them. There was also a table with chairs out on the terrace.

I took all this in quickly, then, remembering our predicament, I turned to Edward. He had been looking around as well, but he was focused entirely on the piano in the music room. I snapped my fingers in front of his face, needing to clear some things up. He blinked, then looked my way.

"Can I trust you to stay in the apartment, and let you have your own room? Or do I need to sleep with you?"

**A/N**

**Thanks to the reviewers, the faves, and all the anonymous readers :D This story is extraordinarily fun to write, and I hope you enjoy reading it as well!**

**I know I'm dwelling a lot on the past right now, my intent is to define the major characters well enough that their actions seem reasonable. The flashbacks will taper off as we get to know the characters better. I can't wait to write Edward's perspective (drugged though he be) on the trip to the Medical Bay, I might also throw in some Esme or Carlisle pov while the boys are in exile. **

**Feel free to read and review, make suggestions and such. I'm considering killing off Jasper and having this be a Bella/Edward fic, what do y'all think? **

**P.S. if you review, I won't make ridiculous threats anymore :D Jasper is perfectly safe in my hands (though Edward's hands might cause him some disquiet.)  
><strong>


	4. Together, Alone

Sanctum

Chapter 4 – Together, Alone

**A/N: This is an M rated story containing violence, language, and sex, don't read if you're under 18.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Twilight, Stephanie Meyer does.**

**As of the next chapter, I will have a beta, but I wanted to post this asap and I'm going to be away this weekend, so here it is in all its unbeta'd grammatically imperfect glory. (though I hope I haven't used the wrong forms of to/too/two, its/it's, your/you're, and there/their/they're, because some things I consider unacceptable coming from myself)  
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**The first portion of this chapter is a bit of recap of last chapter's events from Edward's PoV. I tried not to make it redundant, and to that end it's merely a stream of consciousness with very little dialogue, let me know what you think, since I'm considering using this method again if I ever want to show something in Epov that recaps.**

Epov

Blondie keeps pestering me, it's been over a half hour since her check in with "Carlisle" I only hope that she's going to get bored an leave me alone, I don't want to look at anyone, I don't want to keep talking, I want to fucking sleep.

He shows up, and I don't want to look at him either, he pokes and prods and my head feels like it's going to split open when he shoves his finger into the lump on my scalp, I snap at him and he calls me childish. Fuck, I am childish; I've never been injured on a mission. My injuries in training were mostly minor, since I was generally better than most of my opponents, in addition to my physical pain, Blondie has given me the single largest stress headache known to man. I pity the fool who ends up married to her, though she seems to be attractive, if the way the other guard pants after her is any indication.

I fucking don't care about her, but maybe Jasper will give me some loving to make the pain of her voice and his prodding go away, then he's speaking to me again. I don't hear the words, but somehow the message gets through. Fuck, now someone in here is planning on killing me.. I can't win for losing, fucking moron that I am. What did you expect, Masen, did you think you'd show up in Sanctum, tell them you wanted to defect, and they'd welcome you with open arms… well.. it would have been nice, and fuck Conrad for being on some fucking assignment. What a douche. I can't believe I ever even considered him marginally, minutely attractive. I look up at Dr. Whitlock and my breath almost catches as I feel his hands connect with my bare skin. It's like I'm on fire, melting from the inside as his almost mournful gaze meets mine. I wonder if it's the same for him.

When I kissed him, I thought I might burst into flames. It was so much better than anything I had imagined. When I sucked Jack off, I felt closer to him every time, I couldn't wait to wrap my lips and tongue around his shaft, tease him until he moaned my name and spurted his essence into my waiting mouth. I loved him, and I loved sucking him off, giving him pleasure.

I always thought if he kissed me, if he returned my love, somehow it would all feel like… more… God, when I kissed Jasper, I almost came in my pants (not that there was _only _kissing, he definitely arched into me.. at least… I think he did, and now he seems pissed.) He tells me to play along then he grabs my hand in his and presses it to something, making sure each of my fingertips is pressed to a sheet of cool silicon. His hand covers mine, and I can't help but notice points of heat where each of his long fingers presses into my own, our hands aligned perfectly. My arm is still a focal point of heat that diffuses downward through my body, pooling at my groin all the time we're in contact.

Now I'm feeling weird, loose, like I'm floating. I recognize this feeling, it's a drug, he drugged me, the bastard! Wait… he told me he would… chains.. fucking shackling me! Fuckers! As if I haven't been degraded enough… tired…

… I'm stumbling along beside him, shit, Masen, how do I counteract sedatives, what was the training?... focus on one point, stare at one point, clear mind…

I see skin, pale from living indoors, but hinting at a golden tan. He always sounds vaguely southern when he talks, maybe Texas. If I talk with him more, I'll know. God his skin looks warm, and he smells so good, like clove and honey, maybe he tastes good. I lean forward and lick the spot I'm concentrating on. Oh my god, he tastes as good as he smells, my cock is rock hard. I kiss and lick and.. oh God, I need to bite, I need him to be mine, he's so much more than Jack.

"Jack," I say, feeling the word roll out of my mouth slowly, but it doesn't give me the rush it once did. Jack was a weird name! I'm grinning like an idiot, I know I am. He's pulling away, why is he pulling away? I'm going to bite him, I close my teeth around the tender flesh, and then lave with my tongue, oh god, I could do this forever… so sleepy…

… The fuck am I on the floor for? Where the fuck?... FUCK! I'm drugged, and I'm molesting the fucking guy that did it. He isn't even gay, he's looking at me with fear. My luck is the shittiest. I live with the lowest trash in the world, I find a guy who's so beautiful I want to cry, I kiss him, but then get pistol whipped and somehow manage to imagine he reacted to it like I did, I get captured by the bitchiest most annoying woman in history (barring my mother, of course) and now I'm drugged and forcing myself on said beautiful man once again. I'll be lucky if he doesn't shoot me. Worst. Day. Ever.

* * *

><p>Is this a hospital? Is that an operating table? Why the fuck.. right. Sanctum base. Medical something-or-other. Someone wants to kill me. Well, they can fucking get in line.<p>

He leads me to some small office space next to the operating room. He reads some little note, then he fucking stabs me with the biggest needle in existence, of course I snap at him, fuck that asshole, my arm feels like it's on fire, and not in the good, tingly, oh-my-god-he's-touching-me-and-I-want-to-jump-him way. I hate pain. Take off my clothes, for him? I can work with that, oh god he's adorable when he blushes. At least I can get some reaction, even if it is discomfort. He turned away, so he didn't want me to see, but he fucking blushes to his ears and the back of his neck. His neck, oh god. I marked him, he has a fucking hickey because of me, fuck me, I have to turn around or he'll see my hard on... He certainly didn't react well to my hickey… I should probably apologize for that.

Oh god, I can smell him, and it's all in his clothes. Baseball cap? Sure thing, right on. Oh god, the shirt, cloves and honey, it smells like Jasper. He snaps at me, seeming somewhat self-conscious. Fuck no it doesn't smell bad! I want this bottled, I want this shit on me 24/7…

I'm gonna follow you, Jasper, if only to perv on your ass the entire way to wherever the fuck we're going. He seems really fit for a doctor, and when I was on him earlier, he felt really good, like pure muscle, like Jack, but mature.

* * *

><p>A chick is coming, shit he wants me to hide… card reader, he probably has the card in his wallet, swiping it shouldn't be hard, though keeping my hands of his ass is definitely difficult. Mission accomplished, I mentally high five myself as I unlock the door. I slip into the room, holding the door solidly as I guide it closed until only a crack is left. I need to know when she leaves, I'm not jealous or stalker-ish for watching the conversation.<p>

Brown haired chick is definitely into Jasper, and he seems to respond… shit, definitely straight. Well, I guess I've already declared myself, so I might as well have some fun. I would totally grab his ass, and might get to if we meet another person. He snatches his wallet and card from me, obviously pissed. Embarrassed too, yeah he's blushing again, and all I can think is that I wish it were from awkward desire rather than because I'm being kind of a jerk. I know now I'm making him uncomfortable, any gay guy would have jumped me with all the innuendo I'm throwing out, so definitely straight… maybe I'll just stay quiet from now on, aaand back to perving on the incredibly sexy blond. Fuck my life.

* * *

><p>Aston Martin Vanquish, and it's so beautiful I want to cry. How can he not be more impressed, though him just driving it like it's nothing is sexy as all hell. You can put me into gear any time, Jasper, God I want to kiss him again, it's driving me crazy. Maybe if I sneak another in, I'll be able to let it go. I'm pretty sure the pistol whipping made me imagine things last time, it probably wasn't that good. There's no way a kiss can be that good, especially not with someone who's obviously straight.<p>

He's acting like there's something magical about the fucking elevator… and I'm aroused… Fucking Jasper and his sexy everything, his face, his voice, his goddamn smell, his fucking goddamn reaction to the fucking elevator being shiny, goddammit, fucking unfair, I hate this fucking everything fucking fuck!

Thank god the ride is over, and I can distance myself from the temptation, but I can't seem to move, this place is seriously nice, but the only thing I really see is the piano. I haven't played since I was 12. Frank never cared, and there was a piano in the estate, seeing it, I feel like I'm a kid again, done with all this shit, out of the fucking crime business, normal, gay, free. Can I play it? Oh god, I want to play, I want to be free. I don't want to hide anymore, I don't want to be scared that someone will find out. I don't want to die because of who I am, I just want music, I want life, I fucking want Jasper Whitlock in the worst way, and he's completely oblivious to me. Well, probably not oblivious, there was the kiss, but at best he isn't attracted, and at worst he's completely pissed.

"Do I need to sleep with you?"

Seven words. They might as well have been a landmine for the disorder they threw my mind into. Yesterday, I was safe in my notoriety and celibacy. I was Victoria Masen's reject son, exiled and brooding, I had spent the last 4 years of my life working as hard as possible to distance myself from the Volturi, and the moment I manage it, I'm completely at a loss. I flounder for a moment, torn between wanting to shout _YES! SLEEP WITH ME JASPER WHITLOCK! _or some variation thereof and wanting to just grab this delectable man and worship his body until he couldn't remember anything but my name.

Just about to settle on one of the two equally tempting options I'd concocted, I look at Jasper. He hasn't moved, or probably breathed, since he asked the mis-worded question. He looks extremely vulnerable in the wake of what was, I'm sure, a mortifying faux pas. His face is beet red and his eyes are cast to the floor as he stands there, shoulders slumped, waiting for me to play my part and throw out some lame, insensitive double entendre.

Of course, I realize that he had no intention of saying what he said. I realize that if I take the opportunity to poke fun at him, he'll just get more uncomfortable or pissed. In the face of his apparently frayed sense of humor and the stress he's obviously under trying to keep my selfish ass alive long enough for me to convince someone high up that I'm not scum, neither of my other two options will meet with any positive results.

I'm grateful that Jasper has risked his own place in Sanctum, one that seems to suit him rather well, in order to protect me, a Volturi and would-be assassin.

I can't bring myself to fuck with him, I don't want him to hate me, or avoid me. I want to earn his trust, and I want to be whatever he'll assent to, friends, lovers, anything but sworn enemies. "I don't know if you'll let me, but I won't try to run if you leave me alone, Jasper. At this point, I have nowhere to go, really." I decide to sidestep any damage I might do to Jasper's opinion of himself and me and simply ignore the question. I feel more than a little mature at this point, since I would normally grab any opportunity to belittle someone foolish enough to give me an opening.

Jasper glances up at me with wide eyes. I see surprise and confusion on his face, so I smile as genuinely as I can manage, "I'm not just a jackass, Dr. Whitlock, and I truly do appreciate your help."

He stares at me for a moment as if I've just grown a second head, and I start to flush with embarrassment. Surely my actions aren't bad enough that simple courtesy should shock him so much. I think back on what he knows about me: I assaulted him and forced myself on him, I tried to molest him while drugged, I took every opportunity to make him uncomfortable, even while we were escaping… well, shit. No wonder he hates me. I'd hate me. Anyone would hate me after how I've acted.

I scowl and his expression turns toward fear, because of course he can't hear my inner monologue.

"I'm not angry at you, Whitlock, I just realized what a monumental ass I've been. No wonder you can't stand to be around me." I turn away as I feel my eyes prickle with shame. This is what I've become, a bitchy little puke who puts anyone and everyone down in an effort to avoid intimacy, god I'm such a loser.

Jasper doesn't say anything for a moment.

"You are a monumental ass, Masen. Unfortunately, you might still be useful to Sanctum alive. So I'm going to do my best to make sure that nobody gets to kill you until Carlisle Cullen is convinced that you aren't worth the air you breathe. And now, if you'll excuse me, I think I've had enough of your drama for one day." He doesn't wait for a response, simply turns and heads through a door to the other half of the apartment. I watch him leave, but don't follow. Well, what did I expect? A warm embrace and shoulder to cry on? God I'm such a pussy, too fucking afraid of the Volturi discrimination crap to do anything but push people away.

I rub my face with my plams, hoping to relieve some of the tension that's built up over this last day, then I run my hands through my hair and stand there, trying not to think of all my fuckups. The only thing I don't really regret today is the fact that I finally realized how the Volturi have poisoned my ability to act like a normal person. I should never have teased Jasper with the pick pocketing shit, I shouldn't have bitched about having to change clothes, I should have sucked it up when he shot me with that fucking needle, I shouldn't have molested him in the corridor, I shouldn't have antagonized Blondie, I shouldn't have kissed Jasper, well, I could have been a little subtler about it, but the kiss itself I might not take back.

Beyond all this, I should have fucking said no when James was a fucking asshole and tried to break Victoria's deal with me. But how the fuck did he know?

* * *

><p><em>Yesterday 8am<em>

"Edward," a silky voice coos at me, I cringe.

"What do you want, Tanya?" of all the Denali triplets, she has proven the most tenacious. I don't need to look up from my desk to know that she's leaning over me, her perfume assaults me with a wave of synthetic floral scent and I nearly gag. I also don't need to look to confirm that she's wearing an extremely low-cut top, she never wears anything else, and she rarely wears a bra. I roll away and stand up, folding my arms over my chest as I finally look at her.

She's still bent over my desk, one hand propped on the wood with her 2 inch nails gripping the surface as if attempting to escape from her hands. Her head is bent low, but she's looking up at me, and she has a predatory glint in her eyes.

"It's not what _I _want, Edward, that would take too long, and James wants to see you." Her oversized lips arrange in what I suspect she thinks is a pout, they're practically dripping from all the pink sparkly lip gloss she has smeared over them. I swear girls think that shit is sexy, it's not. She's wearing an atrocious cotton candy pink shirt that looks like it wasn't low cut enough so she took scissors to it until it barely covered her nipples. She's also wearing a denim skirt that she can't sit down in and maintain any sort of propriety, and chunky pink heels that do nothing for her chunky pink calves.

I nod and grab my leather jacket off the back of my chair. I swing it on over my cream colored long t-shirt and head for the door. Trying to avoid any closer proximity to Tanya than absolutely necessary, I skirt around my desk and brush up against the next one over, but she doesn't let me pass. She strides across the gap between desks and traps me, pressing her body up against mine. Her breasts bump up against my chest and push me backward, which is completely fine by me, I lean back from her as she tries for a kiss, "Tanya," I say sternly, "I'm not interested, and I never will be, so back off."

"Edward, you just don't know how good I can make you—"

"You're a plastic harpy and you don't know how to back off," I say acidly, "this is the last time I'll warn you, next time, I'm going to rip out your extensions, and if you still don't stop, I'll see if I can't puncture one of those balloons you're trying desperately to set free," I gesture to her breasts. Knowing her looks are paramount, I can't think of anything that would be more effective than this as a deterrent.

She backs off so quickly I fear she might fall over from the sudden shift in her center of gravity. I wouldn't mind normally, but with that skirt, I might get more than an eyeful, "But, Edward, I just wanted—"

"I know what you want, Tanya. You and your sisters have made that _abundantly _clear, and I have made my disinterest equally clear. Think about what I said, and act like a professional, not some two bit hooker." I brush past her, still almost cringing as I feel her breasts skim across my arm. The pouty face is back, and she refuses to simply keep what dignity she has.

"You know where to find me when you change your—"

"Never going to happen, Denali, now remember what I said, hair extensions," I call back over my shoulder as I stalk away from the desk.

I stride toward James' office quickly, wondering what he could possibly want, my work is exemplary, and I never complain. I don't think I've given anyone else cause for complaint either. When I arrived here 2 years ago, I requested to be put in charge of the books. I was determined to learn as much as I could while avoiding any violence. James let me off the hook for fieldwork, why I don't know, and allowed me to run the finances.

Being the financial guru for the Volturi is a double edged sword, since I'm technically maintaining the viability of their operation. I've managed to make peace my role with for 2 main reasons. First of all, I am apprised of any operation where money is involved. Since every Volturi operation has money as a key concern (either acquiring more or keeping what there is from being taken) I have a pretty complete picture of what's going on with our part of the syndicate. This will hopefully help me to paint a partial picture of the Seattle Volturi. I don't know all the names, since I haven't hacked any Volturi network in over 3 years (they instituted back-tracing firewalls and I never got the training to safely and anonymously circumvent them), I also don't know mission specs, but I know what operations are ongoing, where they are located, and how important they are in terms of income.

The second reason I don't mind keeping the Volturi books is that I've been skimming funds for 2 years. I'm incredibly careful and have enough file alarms that if anyone snoops, I'll know immediately and will be gone before they get past my encryptions. The only places the actual amounts appear are in mission reports and financial stubs, I change each amount marginally as it comes in, then submit the tallies to James and the Volturi, the numbers are high enough that nobody questions whether they are valid, and I walk away with a cut. As a result, I've skimmed almost 10 million dollars from the Volturi, and since I figure I'll walk away some day, I don't really care if they force my hand with an audit, the financial security is more important, and the Volturi have never done anything worthy of my loyalty. I figure if I ever get a life, I want to be able to live it without looking over my shoulder. That means new identity, and new city.

I walk into James' office and let the door close behind me, which in retrospect is a piss poor idea. I haven't lived with James in 4 years, but I haven't forgotten his habits of personal hygiene. His office has a faintly sweaty, musky odor that makes me a little nauseous.

"What do you need, James, I'm busy." I say this flatly, hoping my blatant disgust for my boss/brother isn't too obvious. He smirks at me for a moment.

"I have a new job for you, Eddie," He announces. I hate that nickname, and had hoped he'd stop using it, since he hasn't had a conversation with me since before he left for Seattle.

"I don't _want _a job, James, I already have a perfectly adequate one, it's my job to make sure the money gets from here to the Volturi coffers. I know it's been a couple months since you've checked up on me, but the fact that mother hasn't called you should let you know that I'm competent." I cross my arms again and lean against the wall, wanting to avoid proximity to James even more than I did with Tanya. Unfortunately, he obviously wants to use his BO as an offensive. He gets up and approaches me, stopping about a foot away.

"I know you're good at your job, Eddie," he says quietly, "but I have something special that you're perfectly suited to."

I raise an eyebrow and snort, "Do you need one of the Denali sisters lured somewhere? Because that would be easy, but beyond that… I don't see how I'm any better suited than the other operatives here."

James laughs manically, "I know you could get the Denali girls anywhere, Eddie. Tell me, are they good lays? Have you ever had more than one at a time?" His question is casual, but he has a hungry look about him, almost lustful, I suddenly feel uncomfortable.

"I don't kiss and tell, James, but you're welcome to try them out, with my blessing."

"You do seem to be rather impervious to their, ah… charms, Eddie… I wonder why that is?" He's looking me up and down, but still thinking about the Denali sisters, I can tell by the lustful look in his eyes.

"James, you said you had a job for me, is someone fucking up their payments or something?"

James' gaze returns to my face, "You're still top of the rankings in our sparring bouts, aren't you, Eddie?"

"Yeah," oh god, he wants me for a mission. I knew I should have flubbed the last couple bouts. Being undefeated for 2 years gives him cause to put me to work beyond the offices. "I don't do field work, James, we agreed 2 years ago. I've kept up my end of this little exile. I haven't left the base, I've done every piddling bit of accounting you've thrown at me, and I've kept up my training, why can't you just leave me alone?"

"You'll like this job, Eddie, I promise," He licks his lips and I feel a stronger wave of nausea, "It will remind you of the good old days."

What the fuck is he talking about? Good old days?

"I need you to kill the head of Seattle's Sanctum operation." He says flatly, I can feel my eyes go wide.

"Absolutely not, James. Mother and I had an agreement, I won't kill. I'll do anything except kill." I'm shouting by the end of this tirade, he simply smirks at me.

"You'll do it, or I'll tell mother about your _experiments_ with Jack." He closes the gap between us and palms my crotch. My dick is completely limp and retreating from his vile hand.

I freeze, "That was a long time ago, James. Jack was gay, and he's dead."

"He took advantage of you? How terrible, must make sure that doesn't happen again, Eddie." James kneads my cock through my pants, I almost vomit on him, but I'm not sure that would stop him and I'd rather not be faced with that on top of this already grotesque nightmare I seem to be trapped in.

"What are you doing, James? I'm not gay." I'm certainly not gay for this freak. At this moment I'd like nothing more than to be swallowed by the earth and crushed or melted by some cataclysmic force.

"Oh, I don't care about that, Eddie, I know you've fucked at least Irina, dumb bitch won't shut up about what a god you are. In any event, you'll do this for me, or you'll go back to London and explain why you and Jack seemed to disappear after every sparring session for 6 months, and why no cameras could ever find you for anywhere from 15 minutes to half an hour later. If you fuck it up, I'll keep you here." This can't be happening, I literally could not have imagined the horror of this moment if I tried. James finally releases my crotch, turns and walks back to his desk.

"Who's on the team?" I as, dreading the answer.

"No team, Eddie, just you. I know you won't disappoint me, but even if you do, at least you'll stop being a pain in my ass."

There was only one response, "I'll do it." James leers and I feel sick.

* * *

><p><em>Present<em>

I have no idea how James found out about Jack, or why he didn't turn me in years ago. I can't decide if I regret my going on the mission. While I'd handled many things badly, it was my first, and would be my last opportunity to rid myself of the Volturi once and for all.

After I'd agreed to take the mission, James had informed me that I'd be leaving at 1 in the morning, since preparations for the distraction he'd set up would not be complete until then. I had spent the day training, then forced myself to sleep so that I'd be fresh for the mission. I left our base right on schedule, and made my way to the building. I'd reached my decision only moments before being captured. Now I hoped, I hadn't fucked everything up. I need these people to trust me. I want to be free.

Jasper is the first line of defense. If I can gain his trust, he might vouch for me. Unfortunately, that means undoing whatever damage I did by forcing myself on him. I'm pretty sure straight guys don't appreciate that sort of thing (though my only experience is with Jack, who turned out to be gay). I need to become his friend, I need to apologize.

I feel the need to think, and I know Jasper will be out for hours. First, this apartment looks like it's maintained by someone, but Jasper has obviously never been here, he had to use GPS and his reaction to everything, especially the elevator, indicates he's impressed like hell. If we're going to be here for more than a few hours, we'll need food, and I decide I'm going to be the one to cook. I want to prove myself to Jasper. I check the refrigerator, it's empty. I check the cupboards, also empty, but I find a suitcase inside. I pull out the suitcase and set it on one of the marble countertops, I unzip the lid, and when I open it, I'm confronted with stacks upon stacks of cash, as well as 2 prepaid cell phones. I open both cell phones and plug them in to charge. I know they'll take awhile to charge, maybe when they're done, I'll see about leaving for a little while to get some food and some cooking utensils, (what's the point of having a fully functional kitchen with no pots or pans? I mean… really). I cast about for something else to do in the meantime. Going into the other area is out of the question. Jasper is obviously more pissed than ever, and I don't really feel like facing that again, it hurt enough the first time.

I decide to play the gorgeous piano to pass the time. I used to play while I was thinking, and I certainly have more to think about than I ever have before. I peruse the library of sheet music before settling on Beethoven's Pathetique sonata. The passion and sorrow might help me work through some of my own issues. I open the piano, set up the music stand, and lift the keyboard cover, letting my fingers slide gently over familiar keys for the first time in a decade.

I set my hands lightly on the keys, depress the pedal, and as I lean into the first chord, I feel a strange euphoria, relief at meeting an old friend and confidant, relief that my hands remember what my mind has locked away since I was an innocent child. I play with all the rage of my forced captivity to the Volturi. I release the bile of having to work for my mother and James, sullying my hands by association with these volatile criminals. I play with the sorrow that I don't have a loving, accepting family. I play with the passion and lust I feel for Jasper Whitlock. I play with the guilt I feel over Jack's death.

I play for hours, moving from Beethoven's fire to Chopin's night and Debussy's water. The music is therapeutic, I find myself out of practice, stumbling over phrases that I once knew by heart, but I still play. By the time I stop, it's almost noon, I've been playing for 3 hours, and I feel so much lighter for all the bitterness I've put away. I decide to see about lunch.

Knowing there's no food, I return to the suitcase and take out a few hundred dollars. I check the phones and they're both fully charged. I swap the numbers, so that I can call the phone at the apartment and Jasper can call the phone I have if he wakes. I also decide I need to leave a note, so I investigate the rest of the apartment, taking Jasper's phone and charger with me.

When I get into the other half, I'm confronted with an office-like space that seems to open off into 4 other rooms, 2 on each side. I take the room closest to the kitchen first, swinging the door open gently. It's a bathroom. I briefly inspect the medicine cabinet, finding the contents of a first aid kit plus a razor, 2 toothbrushes, and deodorant. I check under the sink and find all the other toiletries we might need, so I put shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower and leave.

I go to the second room, which turns out to be a bedroom. Jasper has claimed this room as his own. After a moment, during which I shamelessly ogled Jasper's sleeping (shirtless, and I suspect pantless judging by the clothes on a chair in the corner) form, I check his closet and dresser. Nothing in either.

I plug the cell phone into an outlet by his bed (spacious bed, not that I was looking) and retreat to the office area. I find a desk equipped with pen and paper and scrawl out a hasty explanation, noting that I will be gone for a couple hours shopping, and that he should call my number if he wakes up. I silently pray that he won't wake up, but if he does, better for him to know then to wonder and assume the worst. I place the note under the phone next to the bed. At the last moment, I remember the key and rummage through Jasper's pants trying to find it. I find the Vanquish keys, but the apartment key is nowhere in his clothes. Shit.

Thinking about what I know of Jasper, I assume he doesn't trust me, he'd keep the key close. I approach the bed, trying not to wake him, because I saw the gun, and I'm relatively sure it's under the pillow, hopefully with the key. Since I've already inspected all the drawers and other hiding places, if the key isn't under the pillow… well, I'll be fucked then, and not in a good way.

I gently slide my hands under the pillow, thankful that Jasper is on his side and turned away from me. The first thing I find is the key. Strange that he'd hide this and not the car keys, but perhaps he didn't want to feel them under his pillow all night. Pulling it out, I turn to leave when I hear Jasper's voice.

"mmmmno… too dangerous, can't…." his mumbling trails off with a gasp, followed by moaning. My face is crimson. I'm almost certain by the noises he's making that he's dreaming about someone, passionately dreaming. He probably has a secret affair going with some Sanctum operative, they must not allow fraternization. Even though I'm not sure who he's dreaming about, I can easily fill in the blanks to imagine it's me. Pfft, dangerous, of course it's not me. I couldn't even keep one doctor under control without completely losing my head. 2 years away from the field has obviously ruined my tactical judgment.

I close the door behind me and return to the kitchen. I grab several hundred dollars more, knowing that I'll have to pick up at least some clothes as well as some basic utensils for the kitchen. After getting the cash, I return the bag to its hiding place, not knowing if it's safe to leave it lying around. I also pick up my cell phone. I call the elevator and press the key for the parking garage.

On the way down, the elevator stops several times, letting on various people, mostly women who look like they're going to lunch. I get more than a few longing looks, which is somewhat unnerving coming from people I don't want to kill (see Denali Sisters entry in the global index of people Edward Masen wouldn't mind seeing dead). I finally get off and make my way to the parking space reserved for our penthouse. I pull out and into the busy city streets. Having never been to Seattle, I use the GPS to try and find markets and department stores. I find that we're only a block or two from the Pike Place farmer's market, so that's my first stop.

I decide not to eat until I can make something for lunch at the apartment. I spend almost an hour finding all sorts of produce and even stopping in a booth to buy a basic set of cooking utensils. I spend over half the money I have and return to the car twice with my purchases. Then I go to the nearest clothing store, since I no longer need cookware. A bouncy young woman called "Christy" helps me to find a couple packages of different kinds of underwear (I'm not picky, but I figure whatever Jasper doesn't want, I'll use.) I also get 3 pairs of jeans in different dark washes, and several t-shirts and button ups. I buy a leather jacket like the one I have back … like the one I left when my time with the Volturi ended. I get a pair of sunglasses and a watch. Then I leave, since I've spent all the remaining money.

All in all, I spend over 2 hours shopping and traveling, so it's a little after 2pm by the time I get back. I'm nearly starving, since I've been up since 2 and haven't eaten anything, but I figure that Jasper will also be hungry when he wakes (which he should soon, seeing as he's been sleeping for over 5 hours.) I take the clothes with me, and the cooking utensils, figuring I can get the rest in another trip.

I get into the elevator and use the key to punch in our floor. As the elevator opens, I'm confronted with Jasper, barefoot with only his jeans on. He's leveling his gun at the elevator. At me.

* * *

><p>Jpov<p>

_9 am, 5_ _hours ago_

"Do I need to sleep with you?" As the words left my mouth, I saw a vision of Edward, tangled up with me in a bed, though we weren't exactly sleeping. The image went straight to my cock, which grew painfully hard for at least the twelfth time since I had reached the holding cell. I was so embarrassed at my lack of decorum that I could do nothing but stare at the floor.

If Edward remained true to form, he'd make some crass sexual comment and I'd blush even more furiously than I already was. I wished fervently that one of the two of us would simply drop dead, so that I wouldn't ever have to look him in the eye again.

When he responded that I could trust him, rather than making some crude innuendo out of my Freudian slip, I looked up, slack-jawed. He could not have stunned me more if he'd punched me in the face. For the first time, I saw Edward blush, His face didn't completely flush, but two spots of red slowly crept from his cheekbones outward, and his green eyes flashed. He must have seen my surprise because he quickly defended himself, claiming to not be a jackass. I catalogued his actions since I knew him: He kissed me within seconds of pinning me to the ground, he gave me a hickey while in a drug-induced delirium, and he took every opportunity to make me uncomfortable, no he was definitely a jackass..

I saw his expression turn to anger, and I quailed slightly. Edward was taller than me by a couple inches, and definitely better at hand-to-hand combat. I tensed, prepared to draw my pistol as quickly as possible, but with him merely 4 feet away, I wasn't sure I'd have time. He quickly explained that he was filled with _self-_loathing, and was not angry at me, and I felt a pang of pity for him.

Fucking operator, he was trying to get me to let my guard down. Time to set that record straight.

"You are a monumental ass, Masen." I spat out, putting as much venom in to my words as possible, "Unfortunately, you might still be useful to Sanctum alive. So I'm going to do my best to make sure that nobody gets to kill you until Carlisle Cullen is convinced that you aren't worth the air you breathe." I almost choked on the words, since the thought of having to kill Edward was repulsive, but I pressed on, determined to maintain my distance for my own safety. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I think I've had enough of your drama for one day."

I turned on my heel and strode out through the door behind me into an office-like space. As soon as the door closed behind me, I slumped against the wall, hoping that Edward wouldn't follow me and force another confrontation. I wasn't sure I'd be able to maintain my fury if he were sufficiently pitiful, and I didn't need any more complications in this over-fucking-complicated day. I waited for my nerves to settle and listened for movement. It sounded like he was going through the kitchen cupboards. Hopefully he wouldn't find the stash of money or the cell phones. I shuddered to think what would happen if he brought the Volturi down on the apartment, but at the moment, my need to be out of proximity of Edward Masen strangely outweighed my fear of the Volturi. My sexual attraction to Edward made him the worst kind of danger to me and to Sanctum, and Carlisle was relying on me to keep a handle on things.

As my nerves abated, I realized I'd been operating on adrenaline for the last hour or so, ever since Carlisle had freaked. I was suddenly hit with a wave of exhaustion and it took all my strength not to slump to the floor and fall asleep. Instead I pushed away from the wall, and opened doors until I found a room with a bed.

I stripped off my clothes and went to get into the bed, remembering at the last minute that I should hide the apartment key, since without it, the Volturi couldn't get to us without causing a big commotion. I also tucked the gun and the capsule trigger away under the pillow. Before the sheets had settled and my head hit the pillow, I was already dead to the world.

* * *

><p><em>I was standing in the middle of a bar, wearing a dark grey suit and a red shirt. The place was packed with people in opulent gowns and luxurious suits. I saw Rose and Emmett in one corner, deep in conversation. Esme and Carlisle were dancing, and Alice was singing as Garrett accompanied her on a piano. <em>

_Bella was sitting at the bar with Charlie and Jake. I started toward them, wanting to speak to Charlie, when Edward stood up from a table to my side and blocked my path. I tried to brush past him, but he caught my upper arms, pulling me close to his chest. I breathed in and his scent captivated me, sending a shock of desire from the point of contact with my arms all the way down to my groin. He was the only person not wearing beautiful clothes. Instead he was in a torn white t-shirt and mud-spattered jeans with a hole in one knee. His face was terrified and he held me as if his life depended on it._

"_Jasper," His voice was frantic and quiet, "I'm not who they think I am, I can't … I need you to trust me, you need to help me or they'll… they'll kill me if they find out about…" He wasn't forming complete thoughts so I grabbed him by the arm and hauled him out a side door. _

_Suddenly, we were alone in my office, he was wearing his commando outfit again and he looked up at me, concern on his face. _

"_Jasper, why are you helping me? Do you trust me?" _

_I looked him in the eye, remembering how he had attacked me, "No, I can't trust you, Edward, it's too dangerous, _you_ are too dangerous, I need to stay away." He stood and approached me, one hand coming up to cup my cheek._

"_We both know you want me, Jasper, you feel it too, don't you? I need you to trust me, Jasper, they'll kill me if they ever find out. Trust me." He leaned in and kissed me. The sensation of electricity twinning with fire seared through my veins as the kiss undid all the control I'd so carefully built. I clung to him as the passion of the moment overwhelmed me completely. The office melted away and we were in my bedroom, the apartment I'd lived in 6 years ago. I'd never brought anyone there, but the sight of him standing in my own space caused my heart to swell with desire. Suddenly, I was tugging at his clothes and he at mine. Our garments melted away and we were naked. I raked my gaze down his muscled form, and he returned my stare, unashamed. I pulled him to me and our mouths met once again in a furious duel, I felt him guide me to a bed._

_The door to my apartment suddenly burst open and a woman with blazing red hair and an angular face entered, closely followed by a man with a dingy blond ponytail. _

"_Take him" the woman snapped, and suddenly I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything as the blond grabbed Edward, pulling him toward the door, "JASPER! HELP ME!" Edward's cries were frantic and anguished, fear overwhelming his beautiful face, "THEY'LL KILL ME! WHY DIDN'T YOU TRUST ME?"_

* * *

><p>I gasped as I came to, sitting bolt upright in bed, suddenly I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I jumped from the bed and pulled on my jeans. Retrieving the gun, I tore out of the room. "Masen?" I called out, listening for a response. I came out into the living area. There was no sign of him. I checked the other two bedrooms and the bathroom, nothing. Just then the elevator dinged in as I was passing in front of it, I leveled the gun at the doors as they opened.<p>

Edward started and dropped the bags he was carrying, holding his hands up he retreated further into the elevator, "Holy shit, Jasper! Don't shoot!" Edward closed his eyes and angled his head away. As soon as I realized who it was I dropped the gun and breathed a quick sigh of relief.

"I'm not going to shoot you, Masen. I just didn't know who would be in the elevator. When I woke up, you were gone. I thought maybe the Volturi had gotten to you."

Edward looked at me blankly, dropping his hands to his sides, "Why the fuck would the Volturi even know where we are? What are you talking about, Whitlock? Didn't you get the fucking note?" He grabbed the bags and stalked past me, I blinked, note?

"What note?" I questioned, he swung around, glaring at me.

"You know, for someone who works for Sanctum, you're incredibly dense. I left a note by the bed, I didn't want to wake you, but we needed food." He was in my room while I slept? Of course, he has the key, he took it from under the pillow! I slapped my hands on my pockets, empty, he took the Vanquish too, oh god, if he'd run, I'd never have lived it down. I sat down at the table and rested my face in my palms, I'm not cut out for this. I can't keep control of this situation, regardless of the fact that Edward seems to be trying. My attraction to him is making me lose focus, and I can't lose focus.

"Jasper, are you alright?" Edward's voice was much softer than before, laced with worry. I looked up at him, and saw that he was less than a foot away. I inhaled, smelling him, he smelled of sweat and wind and sun from his time outdoors. I had to know.

"Masen, why did you kiss me?" His eyes widened, then he went red in the face and turned away mumbling something I couldn't make out.

"Masen?"

"nevrbnkissedbefore" I still couldn't tell what he was trying to say.

"If you don't want to tell me…" I trailed off, he turned back to me, eyes angry once again, though they also brimmed with tears.

"I'd never been kissed before!" He practically shouted, "There, I said it, are you happy? I had never been kissed, and I didn't want to die without kissing someone. You were there, and bea—" he cut himself off, "You were there, and I had a shot, so I took it." He finished, more calmly.

Whatever I had been expecting, that wasn't it. I was silent for a moment.

"You must be at least.. 20, 22," I said, "Surely you've—"

"You don't know anything, " he cut me off hotly, "I haven't been left alone for more than a few minutes in 10 years. Do you know what it's like being … being part of the Volturi because of your parents? There's no privacy, every day is just learning more ways to kill people and contribute to the delinquency of society. If you like someone, it has to be the right someone, and they'll turn a blind eye, but there are cameras everywhere, and they see everything." Tears were falling more rapidly now. I gaped at him, completely floored by the tirade, I had no idea Volturi even took children as recruits, the thought was horrific.

"So you never found the right someone?" I guessed, wondering what he meant by that.

"I'm gay, Whitlock, hence the.. you know, kissing you." He said this matter-of-factly as if it explained everything, I looked at him blankly.

"The Volturi have a strict anti-homosexual policy, along with a handful of other discriminatory practices, If they'd known I was gay, they would have "corrected" the problem, if not one way than another." He looked down, and I thought about my own childhood, how I had been so afraid simply because I saw the every-day discrimination in my town, I couldn't even fathom living in a place where _everyone_ upheld that kind of hatred.

"I'm sorry," Edward said, still not looking up, my eyes flicked to his face, seeing deep regret etched on his features.

"What are you sorry for? You didn't –"

"For kissing you, I'm sorry. I knew you had gotten backup, and I figured you would kill me. That's what we… the Volturi would do, if we caught one of you. I'm sorry, I know you hate me, and I want you to know that I'll never touch you again. Thank you for risking your… your place in Sanctum to help me."

I stood and Edward backed up a step. I raised a hand.

"I'm not saying I accept your apology entirely," though not for the reasons he thought, I'm sure. I simply didn't regret the kiss, and didn't want him to either, it was the single most passionate moment of my life, "but I want to start over. I'm Jasper Whitlock, pleased to meet you."

He eyed my hand, and tentatively reached for it, as our hands connected, I felt a surge of energy stronger than any since the kiss, and I realized we had been avoiding skin contact ever since. I saw Edward's eyes widen slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"Edward Masen, complete fuckup, but you'll learn that soon enough."

I wanted to draw him into a hug, tell him that it wasn't his fault, that he was put in an impossible situation. I simply let my hand fall away, he waited for a few moments, uncertainty flickering across his face. Then he broke out in a small grin.

"Would you like to have breakfast with me, Jasper?" He said hopefully, I grinned back, "What did you have in mind, Edward?" I glanced at the bags on the floor by the counters, they didn't look like produce to me. He followed my line of sight and answered the silent question.

"The kitchen didn't have any utensils, so I had to buy some, and … um.. I got some .. some clothes for the two of us, since I didn't see any in the closets or dresser. He brought the bags from the clothing store over to the table and dumped out his purchases, I saw several packs of underwear in different types. Edward's ears were red, "I didn't know what you wore, so …" I picked up the pack of briefs and waved them in front of his face, "For future reference, I don't go for tighty whiteys," I smirked at him, "Boxer briefs will be fine." I swiped the pack, and took one of the pairs of jeans and a dark green t-shirt. I moved to stand up.

"That's fine," Edward said, "I'm not picky, so I'll just wear the rest." A sudden flash of my dream assaulted me, and I imagined Edward's muscular form in the white cotton briefs, the image was so vivid that I got a head rush and almost passed out as the blood in my head rushed elsewhere. Then Edward's hands were on my arms, propping me up, "Are you alright, Jasper?" he asked, clearly concerned.

I pulled away from the buzzing contact, "I'm fine," I was embarrassed, but tried to divert his attention, "I'm just really hungry, that's all," hungry for Edward, maybe. He looked worried, but nodded and headed for the elevator.

"I left the produce in the car, I'll just grab it and be right back." He called out, I let him go, needing to collect myself, and I headed toward the bathroom, clothes in hand.

Once safely inside, I surveyed myself in the mirror, my nipples were pebbled and hard with my desire for Edward. My cheeks were pink with continual blushing. My hair was in complete disarray from my earlier sleep. I looked like I'd been having sex, and I groaned, pulling my hands through my hair in an attempt to restore order. I shucked my pants and boxers off and checked to make sure the shower was stocked before jumping in. I had no idea how long Edward would take to get the groceries, but I didn't dare to relieve the pressure that had been building in my cock, since the bathroom shared a wall with the kitchen. I turned the water to cold and gasped as the icy flow hit my skin. My erection retreated instantly, and I turned the heat up a bit, scrubbing as quickly as I could and washing out my hair. After 15 minutes, I could not justify taking up anymore time, so I turned off the water, grabbed a towel and dried off.

The mirror was clear due to the rather cool shower, and I quickly pulled a brush through my hair and used an elastic I found in one drawer to tie it back into a ponytail. I donned the boxer briefs, trying not to think about Edward's underwear as my erection threatened to return. I pulled the jeans up, pleased by how well they fit, and pulled the t-shirt over my head.

I collected my pants and boxers and tossed them into a corner in my room. I picked up the cell phone from beside the bed and found the note. I skimmed it quickly and shook my head at my own lack of observational skills. I stowed the note in the drawer and shoved the phone into my pocket. I also retrieved the remote for Edward's tracker. I tucked it into another pocket and left the gun on the bed. I wandered out into the office area, not quite ready to face Edward again. I snooped into the other bedrooms, one had a king sized bed and an attached bathroom, clearly the master bedroom. The other was almost a carbon copy of mine, though decorated in charcoal grays rather than bluish greens.

I saw a door to the wrap-around terrace in the office area, so walked out onto the platform, breathing in the fresh air and reveling in the feel of the afternoon sun on my skin. I missed being outdoors, and I resolved to find a place to live off-base. I might even dip into the time off I had coming. I figured that between Carlisle and my trainees, Bree and Tanner, I could probably take off an entire month and nobody would miss me too terribly.

I walked around the terrace and came to the half of the apartment done entirely in glass, I peered in and saw Edward at the stove, frying something as he wiggled and danced around. I was struck by how at ease he looked compared to when he'd broken into Sanctum only 12 hours ago. I felt a familiar surge of desire as my eyes locked onto his gyrating hips. _He can definitely move._

Having absolute confirmation that Edward was gay did nothing to allay my fears. I was incredibly attracted to him, more than I had ever been, but if I couldn't keep my distance, I had no idea how I would be able to keep my word to Carlisle. I could easily fall for this beautiful, passionate man. If I did, however, would I be able to bring him back to Sanctum? Could I risk him being carted away? Would I?

I spied a door and pushed, swinging it inward as I entered the common area. Immediately I was met with the most incredibly delicious array of smells (barring Edward himself). I cleared my throat and he turned partway around to look at me, "It's going to be a couple minutes more," he said, turning back to his pans.

I nodded, then realized he couldn't see me, "What are we having?" I asked.

"Porcini mushroom alfredo sauce over fettuccini. We also have a rather nice Caesar salad, garlic bread, and some very nice wine, courtesy of whoever owns this apartment." He nodded to a wine rack on the counter that I hadn't noticed before. I gulped. He couldn't have plotted a more romantic first-date type dinner, and the fact that he was cooking for me simply made it sweet, as well as romantic. I knew then that I was in trouble.

I cast about for something to say that would release the tension I was feeling. I needed to make it clear that nothing was going to happen between the two of us.

"Edward," I started, then stopped, not sure of my next words. He heard the tone in my voice and turned off the stove, moving the pan from the burner and picking the pot up to strain the pasta. He dumped the pot into the colander in the sink, then turned to look me squarely in the eye, I felt a jolt of something as our gazes connected and I gulped again, "Edward, nothing is going to… _happen_ between us." I tried to make my intent clear through emphasis and inflection. He nodded.

"I didn't think it was, you're straight and I'm gay," He turned back to the sink, shaking the noodles around for a moment before dumping them back into the pot and cutting a slab of butter over them. He began to toss the noodles.

"I'm gay," I said. No matter the personal trouble it would cause, I had promised never to deliberately lie about my orientation after Charlie died. Edward turned slowly back around, his eyes darkened with desire.

"You're… gay…" He swallowed thickly, "Jasper, if you don't want anything to happen between us, you probably shouldn't have said that." He flushed as he moved closer to me. My eyes widened as I realized he was _prowling_ toward me, a predatory, lustful glint in his eye. I felt my traitorous body respond and backed away from him.

"I-I'm not attracted to you, though, Edward. We can't – Nothing can—" He was still advancing on me and I bumped up against the couch, bracing myself with both hands as he drew nearer.

"If you aren't attracted to me, Jasper," my name rolled off his tongue and I nearly groaned. I felt my legs quivering beneath me, "Why are you so afraid of me? And why do you constantly blush whenever I'm around you?" He stopped about a foot away and leaned forward slightly, I gasped as I saw the look in his eyes clearly for the first time.

"I don't—I can't—please," I felt myself begging and Edward reached out toward me, laying a hand on my arm.

"Do you feel it, Jasper? Does your body respond like mine does?" His eyes were questioning now, almost pleading, "Tell me I'm imagining it, and I'll leave you alone, I swear."

"You—" I couldn't make myself say the words, he drew even closer to me, hand curling around my bicep. I brought my hands up and placed them on his chest, but that only increased our points of contact. I felt myself drowning in his eyes.

Somewhere in the midst of the exchange, I found myself crumbling. I wanted this to happen, I had wanted him since I saw his face, and I didn't care who he was, or why he was in my life, all I cared about was making the most of my time with this beautiful man. Consequences be damned, I would take the leap.

My hands fisted on Edward's shirt and I pulled him toward me, "Edward, I feel it too," I breathed, moments before I captured his lips with my own.

**A/N: for clarity, I should mention a couple things. James is indeed a pervert, closeted, and is lusting after his brother. It was he who initiated the experimentation with Jack, and he was the one that convinced Victoria to assign Jack to the US when he found out about Jack and Edward.**

**Review and let me know what you think, your ideas might help shape the story. Next chapter, Esme is going to find out, and I haven't decided whether to keep the boys isolated for awhile and let them sort some stuff out, or jump right into the next part I have planned. **

**Where is Peter Conrad? Why is he undercover, and with whom? When will they meet up? Will it be too late?**

**Lastly, I'm planning on instituting at least a weekly posting schedule. I'd like to do bi-weekly, but I'm not going to shorten the chapters, so that's about 20k words per week, and I want to throw in some outtakes and one-shots as rewards for reviews. At 100 reviews, I'm going to throw in an outtake dealing with the end of last chapter.**


	5. Unexpected

**A/N: This is an M rated story, which means if you are under 18, there's too much sexin', killin', and swearin' for you. Don't read!**

**Apologies that this wasn't posted yesterday as intended. I tried to upload it, but FF was timing out, so I couldn't get it done :( but here it is, and the next should follow in a couple days, maybe not til Saturday...  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, Stephanie Meyer does.**

**Special thanks to DreamingPoet1988 for the beta of this here chapter.**

**Thank you all for your reviews, I try to answer any questions you pose as long as they don't give away too much about the future of the story, I am constrained by internet availability however, so I probably won't ever have time to answer all reviews :( but keep sending them! I love to read them, and they truly make the writing worthwhile.**

**Fic Rec of the week: **

**What Matters by Strae**

**It's a lovely little fic about a naughty internet relationship with an unexpected twist, brilliant writing, and lovely execution. **

Chapter 5 – Unexpected

_My hands fisted on Edward's shirt and I pulled him toward me, "Edward, I feel it too," I breathed, moments before I captured his lips with my own._

Jpov

I felt as if a dam broke, and all the worry and tension I'd been feeling flooded outward in the heat of the moment. The entire world seemed to spin and fall away as my entire being focused on the warmth and softness of Edward's mouth beneath my own. I sucked his bottom lip into my mouth and captured it between my teeth, tugging gently, he moaned into the kiss. I angled my face up towards his as I slipped my tongue into the depths of his mouth. We dueled for dominance of the kiss, Edward straining against me. I felt his body press up against mine and surrendered to him, falling backward onto the couch and dragging him with me.

I was suddenly reminded of the first kiss, startling and overwhelming, this was different, filled with need and want, but it did not frighten me as the first had, instead, I felt power in my surrender. I gave up control of the moment, but clung to Edward as he moved against me, his tongue dancing around my mouth, his flavor permeating the link, he tasted of cream and faintly of garlic from his cooking, I also recalled his personal flavor from earlier, thrilled at the unique taste that was Edward.

My hands made their way to his hair, tugging and urging him on as our mouths battled. I felt him trying to reposition me and attempted to scoot further back onto the couch, my shirt rode up and my back squelched loudly against the leather of the sofa, startled, I started giggling into the kiss. I broke away from Edward as laughter spilled out of me, penetrating the fog that had been pleasantly clouding my senses. Edward frowned, propping himself up, and retreating to sit on the other end of the couch.

"I thought that was going rather well," he said, sounding affronted.

"It was," I laughed, "very well. Well enough that I definitely see a repeat, but perhaps not here, and definitely not immediately, I think we're missing a few necessities, given the intensity of our… physical affinity for each other." I could see Edward's erection clearly through his (well, my) jeans, and my own pants were painfully tight. I was mostly serious, but still grinning, I waggled my eyebrows as I'd seen Alice and Emmett do on countless occasions and the cloud on Edward's features cleared. His face tinged red.

"I've never..." he was full on blushing now, and I raised my eyebrows, completely shocked. He seemed so dominant and assured, I just assumed I was one of many.

"I wouldn't have guessed, but um… I haven't either." Edward's eyes came up, widened slightly, but a small grin broke out on his face as I spoke, "I just assumed by the way you kissed me earlier…" I trailed off, though, cock twitching at the memory.

"I just wanted, I mean… I didn't think you would let me go, and I didn't want to die without a first kiss." He looked down at his lap, hands twisting together awkwardly, I'm pretty sure my jaw hit the floor.

"That was your _first _kiss?" I demanded, he merely fidgeted, nodding without looking up, "Don't get me wrong, Edward, it was a hell of a kiss, I think I nearly combusted, but that's not…" I couldn't think of what to say, Edward looked up at me without raising his head, I scooted closer, "I want to try something, Edward." I tilted his face up toward mine, his eyes were defiant, challenging. "Just trust me," I asked, "close your eyes." He closed his eyes. Tentatively, I closed the gap between us.

I brushed my lips gently against his, and then backed off. He leaned toward me, and I allowed him to press his mouth more firmly to mine. I moved my hand from his jaw to the back of his neck and reached out with the other to pull his chest to mine as I tried to pour all the tenderness and feeling I could into the chaste contact, after a few moments of this, I pulled away, and Edward opened his eyes, somewhat starry eyed.

"That's a first kiss," I said matter-of-factly. He smiled wistfully at me and pulled me back to him without saying a word. His lips pressed firmly to mine and I sighed into the kiss, _I think I could do this forever_. My stomach growled loudly and I reluctantly pulled away, "Food first, then shopping, then we can continue this." Edward growled and pulled me roughly back, kissing me hard for a moment, then he pulled away, and I leaned after him.

"See how you like it." He said, sticking his tongue out at me and jumping up off the sofa. I narrowed my eyes, but followed him.

* * *

><p><em>9 years ago<em>

As Christmas passed and school resumed, I was hyper-aware of Matt's presence. We only shared one class, but since he had not spoken to me since "the incident" I felt that it was a one-time thing, and kept my distance as well.

One day in mid-January, I bumped into him in the cafeteria at lunch. When I saw who it was, I turned red and stammered an apology, rushing off just as he was about to say something to me in return. He didn't pursue me, and I assumed that he was simply relieved that I hadn't forced the issue. After school, however, he was waiting for me in the parking lot.

"Jasper," he called as I walked out of the school, I ducked my head and tried to circumvent him, but he blocked my way.

"Jasper, what happened?" as if he didn't know, "I'm sorry, Jasper, I didn't…" he tried to duck down and catch my gaze, I turned away, "I thought you wanted me, too, Jasper, I'm sorry about… about Christmas, I shouldn't have." I looked up at him, I had been expecting him to talk to me as soon as school started and since he hadn't I assumed he thought the kiss was a mistake.

"You haven't spoken to me since Christmas." I said stupidly.

"You haven't spoken to _me _either, Jasper," Matt reminded me, "I thought you might be mad about the kiss, I was trying to give you space." He held my gaze, "Does this mean you_ aren't _mad about the kiss?" I shook my head and he broke out in a grin, "Does that mean that you might want to… try again?" I nodded; his grin grew wider, "Can I kiss you … right now?" I nodded and Matt closed the gap between us.

I angled my head up, trying to give him better access as he brought his lips to mine. I felt a warm fizzle in the pit of my stomach at the contact, and I removed my hands from my backpack, shrugging it off my shoulders. Matt's hands cupped my face as he kissed me sweetly, I experimentally moved my lips against his and he moaned, I felt the fizzle shoot down to my hardening cock. Matt pulled away, his cheeks colored with passion.

"I'll want to do that again, Jasper, can I kiss you again?" I nodded, he laughed, "Is that a yes?"

"Yes," I said, grinning sheepishly.

Matt and I spent the next few months stealing moments whenever we could. He would brush against me as we passed in the hall, after practices, we would meet under the bleachers. We would duck into the bathroom at lunch, and if no one was there, we would block the door and make out. Once, I even snuck into the locker room after the rest of the football team was gone, and I trapped Matt up against his locker, feeling his cock under just the towel as I kissed my way down his sweaty chest and back up again.

Neither of us were out to our families, so time spent at either of our houses was strained, I think my mama might have known, looking back on it, she was always more perceptive than I gave her credit for. When I was a Junior and Matt was a Senior, he turned 17, and got a car. For us, it meant a portable room where we had almost absolute privacy. It was after this that we finally got past making out and the occasional grinding and experimented more. Matt had gotten, and apparently given, blowjobs before, so he gave me my first one, and I almost passed out from the sensations, I reciprocated, and made up for my lack of experience with my enthusiasm and, as Matt termed it, my "fuck-hot tongue."

We got as far as the occasional finger probing tentatively during a blowjob, but neither of us was ready to take the plunge. I always sensed that Matt might just be experimenting, but it hurt when he asked Lauren to prom. He told me a day after he asked her that we needed to stop.

"Jasper, it's been fun, and I really liked everything we did, but I'm with Lauren." I was crushed that I had meant so little to him. Granted, I wasn't exactly head-over-heels myself, but I had envisioned us going all the way, and it hurt that he so easily moved on. After that, I had no more experiences in high-school. Matt left a week later for his job at a summer camp, and he moved from that to a local community college.

The last year of high school was uneventful, but I found out that I could get into a summer program with the Seattle PD, and since I had an uncle that lived in Seattle, I decided to take the opportunity to flesh out my resume. I wasn't running away, there just wasn't anything tying me to Texas.

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

I collected plates and silverware and set the table as Edward finished the preparations for our meal and brought the steaming dishes to the table.

"Edward, why were you sent to Sanctum?" I realized I had never actually heard from him what his mission was. He avoided my eyes as he answered.

"My mission was to kill your boss." I stopped eating and swallowed thickly, not sure what to make of his admission, "I wouldn't have done it," Edward said quickly, looking me directly in the eye, "I don't kill people."

"But you're a full Volturi agent?" I asked, "I mean, you certainly don't look less than 20, and I was under the impression that by 20, you either killed someone, or you were… retired."

"Hmm, yes, that is true for the most part. There was a period of a few years where the final test was not a killing, mainly because Victoria couldn't figure out how to go about them without losing agents. As I understand, some Sanctum honcho in London got her number and kept apprehending her hit-men. That was sorted out before I was tested though, so I was supposed to kill someone." He paused significantly.

"Peter Conrad was the man I was supposed to kill, I made a deal with him so that he would fake his death in exchange for information on the Volturi when I was able to get away without anyone around to keep me from leaving." He still held my gaze as he spoke, which reassured me. Of course, he could just have been a fantastic liar, or perhaps I was simply to emotionally compromised to recognize a lie from him.

"But that was 4 years ago, surely…" I didn't want to press him, but it seemed rather odd that he wasn't able to get away before now.

"I've lived with the Volturi for many years, and I've never been in the field with less than a 3 man team before tonight. I never asked for this." His eyes were shining with moisture as he spoke.

"Why did you join them, if you didn't want to do… this… then why join in the first place?" I had to know, I wanted to trust Edward, but it made no sense.

"My mother, she took me from my father when I was 12, and basically imprisoned me, I was taught by Volturi, trained by Volturi, I haven't spent a day without some sort of Volturi contact in over 10 years, until today."

"But why haven't you… um, you said you were a… you were inexperienced, why not just find companionship with the men you live with, they can't all be that bad." He laughed bitterly

"The Volturi are basically neo-Nazi in their attitudes toward minorities. Homosexuality is never permitted, I've been locked in the closet since before I realized I was gay, there was one boy, but… he never did escape the Volturi, he left when he was activated, and I never saw him again. He died over 4 years ago." I was horrified to hear about what Edward had gone through, I grabbed his hand and squeezed it, trying to reassure him.

"I think Esme will be able to see past this. She's my boss, the one who we were afraid would kill you, but if your story checks out with Conrad, I'm sure she'll come around." Deep down, I was anything but sure, given Carlisle's complete conviction that Esme would kill any Masen on sight. Surely the fact that Edward was an unwilling Volturi, and his apparent innocence of any major crimes, would sway her to give him the benefit of the doubt. If not, I was not sure what I would do to protect Edward, but I felt that he was telling the truth, and was inclined to protect him, even if it meant leaving Sanctum.

We finished eating in silence, then we cleaned the dishes, stowing them in cupboards. My entire body was tuned to Edward's as we moved around the kitchen. Every time we brushed as we passed each other, I felt another bolt of lust surge through me. I was completely worked up by the time the dishes were put away, and I was half convinced that he was doing it on purpose. I gave him another sidelong glance and saw him grip the sink as I licked my lips. I looked away and he moved past me, brushing my arm as he went, I grabbed his arm and pushed him against the counter.

"Don't start what you can't finish, Edward," I whispered before licking the shell of his ear. He groaned throatily and wrapped his arms around my back, pulling me roughly to him. I felt his hard body under mine once more, and I captured his earlobe between my teeth, biting gently. He hissed and began to lick and suck the hickey on my neck from earlier. I mewled as he assaulted the already sensitive flesh and my hands slipped under the waistband of his jeans, cupping the smooth muscles of his ass and pulling him toward me. I saw stars as the friction between our cocks brought me perilously close to release, "Dear sweet God, Jasper, don't stop!" Edward cried out. I grinned and pressed firm kisses all along his jawline, continuing to knead his ass in my hands. I peppered his neck with small kisses, frowning when I reached the fabric of my button up shirt, "Lose the shirt, Edward." I commanded, nuzzling his collarbone with my nose, He moaned as I latched onto his skin and gripped both sides of the shirt.

I expected him to unbutton it, but he merely ripped the sides open, causing buttons to pop and fly every direction. I growled deep in my throat and immediately moved my hands up to his back, holding him close as I started to work my way down his chest. I rutted against him more as I kissed and licked my way down his perfect body. Edward braced his arms against the counter and leaned backward, head thrown back. He writhed under my touch and arched his body deliciously into mine, "God, don't stop… more…" I nipped at his chest and drew back, "The name's Jasper. That's the second time you've confused me with God." He grabbed my head and pulled me up for a searing kiss.

As we made out, I pushed him backward until he was partly lying on the counter, then I hitched my hands around his thighs and hoisted him up onto the smooth marble surface, feeling him shiver as his bare back came in contact with the polished stone. I moved my hands to the waistband of his jeans and popped the button, brushing against his abs with both hands as I did so. I placed a small kiss on his navel and swiped my tongue into the impression.

"Fuck, Jasper, what have you done to me?" Edward was lost in a haze of lust and desire, eyes almost black with passion as he gazed down at me. I grinned and licked his stomach as I slowly began to lower his zipper, one click at a time. He fisted his hands in my hair, urging me to move faster, but I was relentless. I would pull the zipper slowly then pause and lavish the newly exposed skin with my tongue and lips. I left a glistening trail of saliva from his navel downward, and periodically, I would blow on the moist skin, reveling in the sight of his muscles contracting at the sensation. I reached his boxer-briefs and kept moving, leaving them damp in the wake of my ministrations. Edward was thrusting up against me by the time I pulled the flaps of his jeans apart and began to slowly peel them off.

I moved to tug his pants down, and caught both them and his underwear in both hands, yanking them off in one smooth motion. His cock was released from its prison and slapped against his stomach, long and thick and weeping. I licked my lips, watching the head ooze precum onto Edward's abs. I gave it an experimental stroke with one hand, swiveling around when I reached his head and spreading precum around with my thumb. Edward hissed and thrust up against my hand. I let go and turned my attention elsewhere. I knelt down and grabbed one muscular leg, starting at his inner knee I gave it the same treatment as his chest, working my way up toward his cock.

I bit gently on his inner thigh, centimeters from his throbbing member, and his penis twitched.

"Please, Jas," he whimpered. I noticed that sweat was making his hair stick to his forehead and he was gripping at the marble with frantic hands, trying to keep from grabbing me. I relented and grabbed his shaft in both hands, giving a strong stroke downward from his head, coating his entire length with precum. I brought my hands down, one after another, immediately beginning another down stroke when one was finished. Edward's eyes rolled back in his head, "Uhng, Jasper, Jesus Christ… fuck…." He groaned as he thrust up into my relentless down stroke. I saw his balls begin to contract and removed my hands. His head shot up and he glared at me, then he moved a hand to grab his shaft and I slapped it away.

"Fuck, Jasper… don't tease…" He whimpered again, but let his hand fall back to his side. His hips thrust erratically, causing his cock to slap against his abs. I grabbed his sides and held him to the marble surface, stopping any friction. His rod twitched again.

I began my relentless journey up his other leg, starting at the knee and working my way up once more. Edward was almost ready to cum when I reached his inner thigh and bit down again, hard. His cock swelled and began to pulse as he came with virtually no contact. Fountains of creamy white cum spurted forth, coating his stomach in strands of pearly spunk.

"OH GOD, FUCK… JASPER!" He cried out as he continued to pulse. His body writhed on the cool surface as his orgasm ripped through him. I took his softening cock in my hand and gave it a few strokes; coating it in cum. Edward shuddered as my hand caressed his hyper-sensitive penis. He moaned and one hand went to my wrist, pulling me away from his cock.

I got to my feet, my own cock hard in my pants, and grabbed a damp dishtowel, I returned to the counter and tenderly wiped Edward down, cleaning his stomach and cock. I set aside the towel and took hold of his arms, pulling him to a sitting position and kissing him once more.

I pulled Edward's pants up from around his ankles, and tucked his cock into his underwear, feeling it twitch in my hand as I did so. I grinned up at him, "Eager boy," I commented mildly, "Already rarin' for round two, darlin'?"

Edward's eyes darkened with lust, "Your accent is sexy as fuck when you're worked up." He pulled his shirt back on, though it had no buttons, then gathered me up for another kiss. I pulled away, not wanting to get carried away again, though I ached for release.

I was just about to suggest a shopping trip to pick up some… essentials when the elevator dinged, indicating it had arrived on our floor with a passenger. I threw a panicked look at Edward, the only person who knew where we were and would not call if he were in the elevator, then I glanced about, realizing that the gun was still on the dining table, there was no way I'd get to it before the doors opened.

The silver panels slid away and I prepared to make a run for it, praying that whoever it was would not simply kill Edward or me on sight. I shouted at Edward to duck and dashed for the table, snatching up the gun and whirling to face the elevators. My finger went to the trigger and my gaze focused on the petite brunette standing in the doorway, staring at me, hands half-way raised.

Alice stared at me for a second before lowering her hands, "Pretty impressive foot speed, Jasper, but you might want to take the safety off next time. You never know who might be visiting Carlisle's super-secret hideaway.

"I take it the prisoner is secured somewhere around here? Did you tie him to a bed? Did you_ spank _him?" She said the last in a conspiratorial whisper, "Is that why you look like you've just been fu—" I heard Edward clear his throat from the kitchen. Alice reacted as any field agent would, drawing a pistol from her purse so quickly my head nearly spun. She swung around and aimed it at Edward whose expression was now dismayed, then the pistol fell from her hands and she clapped one hand over her mouth, for a second I was afraid she would faint, "No, no…. no, no, no, nonononono…" she covered her eyes with both hands, rubbing hard as if she were hallucinating. Then she turned and approached me, eyes blazing, "How could you not mention this, Jasper, they have a right to know!"

"Mention what?" I asked, glancing at Edward and back to Alice, "He won't leave, he's explained everything, and I believe he truly wants to defect. I suppose we can tie him up if you think it's absolutely necessary." I blushed at the thought of tying Edward up again, Maybe I could borrow some of Rosalie's zip ties.

Alice shook her head at me, incredulous. Then she seemed to have an epiphany.

"You really haven't noticed?" she asked, as if awed that I "hadn't noticed" whatever that meant.

"Noticed what, Alice?" I was irritated now.

My eyes widened as she pointed out what was, in retrospect, starkly obvious. My wide blue eyes met Edward's panicked, confused green and I suddenly felt sick, "How?" I asked dumbly.

* * *

><p>Esmepov<p>

_Excerpts from the personal journal of Esme Cullen_

April 11, 1989 – 50th day of captivity

I often think back to that day, February 21, it was a normal Tuesday, no change in my schedule, but something felt wrong. I remember Carlisle leaving; the air seemed to rush into the apartment, nipping at the corners more than usual. I ignored it and went about my day. I remember Charlotte visited briefly on her way to Herrod's, she was running low on flour and wanted to make scones. I felt like we were being watched as we walked down the street, skirts tugged and pulled by the teasing fingers of wind.

When I returned home, they were waiting. I wish Charlotte had convinced me to visit, I wish I'd invited her up, but no, that would have been worse, because these cruel-eyed men would not have balked at killing an unwanted distraction, and I was the one they were after.

Tomorrow is the day, they tell me, and they'll have 2 hostages. A day before my first anniversary and I'm here, in this horrible room, with only my thoughts and what scraps of paper I can beg from the one the guards.

2 months ago I was happy, my family was thriving, and now Carlisle is forced to support horrible men, corrupt greedy individuals who represent everything we oppose, all because I was not strong enough, I was not careful enough. They show me each rally, and I see the defeat on Carlisle's face. When I am free of these monsters, I will be stronger. Stronger for my family, stronger for my child.

* * *

><p>July 24, 1989 – Day of Awakening<p>

They took everything. They will pay.

* * *

><p>September 1, 1989<p>

I can't bear to tell Carlisle, I've kept it inside for so long, but when they gave him to me, I knew I could save him, knew he would move. They told me that if Carlisle had done his part sooner, they would have released me; they _apologized_ for my loss, as if I didn't know. I read the note, I know the date, they would never have released me for another week. I hear from the doctors that if Alistair's men hadn't found me, I would have died after only days, the state I was in. As it was, the trauma of everything, the stillbirth, the captivity, nearly killed me anyway. 5 months and a child are lost to me. They will pay. They stole so much from me, from us.

* * *

><p>September 6, 1989<p>

I talked with Alistair privately yesterday. He agreed that the Volturi can only be dealt with by those of us that have lost enough to truly understand how evil they are. I gave my regrets to him, I cannot live in this city anymore, to see Carlisle struggling with his own memories makes my load all the more burdensome. I will never rest until the Volturi are gone, but I will return to my country. There must be a way to fight them away from this horrible place. I will never return unless it is to make them pay, make her pay.

* * *

><p>November 17, 1989<p>

It has taken almost a month, but I finally have a destination. The Volturi are in Los Angeles, so that is where I will go. Carlisle understands better now, I have had the strength to tell him, tell him what they truly did to our family. Tell him how they tried to cast blame anywhere but on themselves, where it truly belongs. My son, our son will not have died in vain.

* * *

><p>December 25, 1989<p>

This Christmas, my consolation at the loss of so much is that due to a special hearing, I have been granted permission to operate a Sanctum outpost in Los Angeles. Officially, we will have no ties, no support, but we will have jurisdiction, we will have authority, and we will have revenge.

* * *

><p>April 12, 1993<p>

I know my rage hurts Carlisle, and that is yet another regret, another sin for which the Volturi will pay. Some days I feel like giving in, but on this day, our 5th anniversary, and the anniversary of my son's death, I find the will is even stronger than it was when I woke up those years ago. We get ever closer, and Aro Volturi will make his fatal mistake. When he does, I will be there, an angel of death, meting out justice on all of them, and they will know fear.

* * *

><p>April 12, 1998<p>

I have accepted my new life; I am not the woman I once was. I sometimes wish I had the strength to release Carlisle from this bondage I have tied us to. I love him more than life, but I will not allow the Volturi to go unpunished. If I thought I could survive without his support, his love, I would let him go, I would beg him to go, but in this, of all things, I am weak.

I know he would be a wonderful father, and I wish I could set aside my pain and rage, but I will not rest until I have retribution, and I cannot force a child into that life. I will not poison another innocent as the Volturi are wont to do.

* * *

><p>January 3, 2000<p>

I have found a young woman who was subjected to some sort of brainwashing therapy. The Volturi took her because she would not be missed, but she escaped. Her name is Alice, but she cannot remember her last name. Already she is like a daughter to me. She will fight with us. We will find the men who did this, and they will pay.

Alice reminds me of myself, but hers is a tragic case, she is only 16, and what she has suffered brings my own trial to mind. I found myself telling her the entire story, and I almost cannot bear the thought of it, even after all these years. I will not tell it again, once was painful enough.

* * *

><p>June 9, 2005<p>

Victoria grows ever bolder. Alistair has had to go into hiding. He was the subject of an assassination attempt, and to avoid such another attempt he will no longer be able to go about, he has "died" for all intents and purposes. The young man seemed to be a trainee, such cruelty as to force murder on the psyche of an innocent is unconscionable.

I have been informed of a possible location of Victoria Masen's husband, who only separated from her after the operation where I was kidnapped. He is also the conduit by which the Volturi gained purchase to the United States, he is serving the cancer, he too will pay.

* * *

><p>August 24, 2005<p>

The first of the Masens has fallen, only 2 more are left, and my revenge will be complete. I have just returned from the task now, and though he was the least imposing, his loyalty to that woman indicates a disease of character insurmountable.

I admit that though I find the idea of killing somewhat repulsive, I find the relief of revenge to be almost like a drug. Carlisle asked me where I went, he does not know, nor can he ever. I have crossed a line today that I will not pull him over. If he were ever to take a life or know that I had done so, I fear he would not recover.

* * *

><p>April 12, 2007<p>

It is fitting that the end of the Volturi in Los Angeles should come on this particular day, ; I am almost at peace for the first time in 18 years. I no longer wonder what our son would be doing if he had lived. I no longer remind Carlisle of my rage, for he stopped asking me to reconsider years ago. Our work has borne fruit, and that is a small satisfaction. Not inconsequential is the redemption of a youth who the Volturi had corrupted. I believe he will join the fight, but even if he does not, he will be free.

Perhaps those who have gotten their revenge will be able to put this chapter behind them and focus on a brighter future. I look for the next chapter in the demise of the Volturi that disease our civilization.

* * *

><p>May 28, 2007<p>

I hear whispers that Victoria Masen's son has left London. He was never more than a name in a file, but now he is in Seattle, and so I will go. Perhaps the end of my struggle is in sight. I am gratified that only 4 of my children still seek retribution. I love Alice and Rosalie dearly, as if they were my own daughters. Perhaps after this fight is over, perhaps when Seattle is safe, they will find peace and they will live the lives they deserve with Garrett and Emmett by their sides. I fear that life is all but gone for me, but, god willing, I will see the end of the Volturi in my country, and perhaps I will return to London, for I will have one final score to settle.

* * *

><p>June 2, 2007<p>

We were not quick enough. More damage has been done to this city in one day than I have ever seen. I regret my own failings, my lack of preparedness. The Volturi have struck a grievous blow this day.

* * *

><p>September 30, 2007<p>

This is indefensible. These children do not know who they are toying with, and they are about to throw away their lives. In order to prevent their foolish (though admittedly adept) investigation, Garrett and Emmett will retrieve them. I only pray it will not be too late.

Evening

Jasper and Bella are adamant, and I find a fire in them similar to my own. Jasper has not lost as much as some, but he also seems to be a lonely man. Charlie Swan was practically a father to both; Jasper was like a son to him. At first I suspected that Jasper and Bella were involved romantically, but their motives are purely their own, and perhaps for Jasper, his choice will make him stronger in the end.

We will put them through the standard 6 month background check, I only hope they can stand being confined to base for that long.

* * *

><p>March 28, 2008<p>

Bella has volunteered to coordinate operations and Jasper to help Carlisle in Harry's place. I was worried that Seth would take this amiss, but he seems smitten with our new doctor, so perhaps Bella and Jasper will complete this family. I already know that Jake will stay with Bella when we finish, regardless of what she decides, and I suspect, in time, Seth will follow Jasper when he moves on from our crusade.

Perhaps Carlisle has at last found the son he always dreamed of, Jasper is so much like him, compassionate, warm, and innocent in spite of his trials.

I feel the weight of my past, it bears harder on me daily, but somehow I cannot find vindication. Perhaps my purpose on this earth is not to find contentment, but to allow others that freedom.

* * *

><p>April 12, 2009<p>

20 years I have been fighting this fight, for my struggle started when they killed my child. Looking back on that day, it is still as clear as it was when I first awoke. I remember the sounds of the medical trays, I remember the feeling, and I remember the silence where there should have been cries, that silence haunts me still.

* * *

><p>July 18, 2011<p>

It pains me sometimes, seeing Jasper alone. Of all my children, I feel that Carlisle has grown closest to him, and perhaps because they have similar pains. I know I have not been the wife I should have. I know he humors me, bleeds for me, and dedicates his strength for me. I cannot even fathom how different our lives might have been had Anthony survived. We are in love, but decades of pain have cast a shadow on what was a perfect marriage. The world will be better for our struggles though, for I shall not give up until I see Victoria Masen's son die, and see her pay for my captivity and the death of my child.

* * *

><p><em>July 22, 2011. 2:46 am – Ops Center<em>

I tap out a staccato rhythm on my desktop, wondering what to do with this new information, now that I have a moment to breathe. On the one hand, the Volturi are trying to kill me, but on the other, they only sent one operative. Even with our forces deployed, it's mildly insulting they view me as so little of a threat. I'll have to be sure to remind them how formidable I can be.

Alice and Emmett looked dead on their feet and I tried to order them away immediately, but of course, they were overprotective. I'd like to think I've shed the vulnerable air, that weak schoolgirl naivety that served me so poorly all those years ago, but I suppose I've taken on a motherly, dainty façade in its place. Such is the passage of time.

I truly long for this fight to be over, the years weigh heavily on me, as do the loyalties of the men and women I consider children. I thank God daily that I have not lost a soul to the Volturi, though many have been damaged in their journey into our family.

I want for Alice and Garrett to have the quiet homestead they've both confided they long for, and I want Rose and Emmett to open their car shop and start having children, little ones that I can dote on as if they are my own grandchildren. Rosalie and Jasper are insisting that I am not safe in the presence of this Volturi until they can observe him for a day or so. The chastisement chafes me, but I know that it is well placed and I will humor them for now, soon, though, he will help me as those before him have helped me, some even willingly.

It looks like the last unit has returned, and now we will make sure this failed assassin is truly alone.

_1 hour later_

Alice and Emmett had practically fallen over when I relieved them, somewhat relieved myself. I suppose they mean well, but hopefully they take better care of the trainees than they do themselves. I shudder to think. In the meantime, I'm doubling the security on base, and I've made sure that there are sufficient people on duty to monitor all possible points of entry, we must be vigilant now more than ever, and pray god that this ends quickly.

Carlisle said he would work with Jasper, and I know the two of them will have the hole in my base repaired in no time.

_3 hours later_

I've called a rest day, in light of this morning's events. Unless Bella or one of the others discovers a truly imminent Volturi threat, we will all have a day to recharge. There seemed to be some commotion out in the Ops Center shortly after Jasper informed me of the patch job, but Carlisle assured me it was merely chatter going out to the various Sanctum bases requesting Intel on the prisoner, who's name escapes me at the moment. I really should look into the situation, but perhaps it will wait until tomorrow.

Carlisle has made me a tempting offer of breakfast in bed followed by sleep, and I think I can safely leave things in the hands of the men and women who have dedicated themselves to my cause.

_End journal._

* * *

><p><em>July 22, 2011, 12:04 pm<em>

Not even 5 hours after I go off duty and already there is a crisis. Whoever is knocking at my door better be reporting. I'd call out, but that would surely wake Carlisle, and at least whoever it is has ceased the barrage. I throw on a robe and stalk to the door, equal parts vexed and anxious. I open the door a crack and see Rosalie on the other side.

"Carlisle is asleep, what do you need that can't wait 2 hours, Rosalie Hale? Surely there is no crisis that you, Bella, and Jasper can't handle on your own."

"Jasper is gone, Esme, and he took Masen with him." Rose says, clearly furious.

"Jasper is gone with_ who?_" I ask, knowing my voice cracks with my mounting fury.

"Masen, the prisoner?" Rose says.

"The prisoner is a _MASEN?_ And he's _GONE?" _Rose nods, eyes wide.

"How long have they been gone, Rosalie?" Did Carlisle know, is that why he seemed intent on eating with me, on taking some time off? Where is Jasper? Why is a Masen in my base? Why was I not informed the _instant_ his name was discovered? I think of the file on my desk, the prisoner's vital statistics which would undoubtedly have his name listed. If he escapes due to my negligence, if Jasper is killed, oh god, what have I done?

"Over 3 hours," she replies, voice laced with fear, "They took Carlisle's Vanquish."

"3 HOURS?" I thunder. Suddenly, everything falls into place, gone with Jasper, Carlisle's car gone, the distractions. I feel betrayed, and by the one person I truly trust and love. I hear Carlisle shifting in bed, I whirl around, stalking up to his side, "Carlisle, _dear_," I say, voice quiet and controlled though the emotion of horror and pain runs hot through me, "you wouldn't happen to know anything about this escape, would you?"

Carlisle looks up at me, eyes pleading, "Esme, darling, I had to,"

"You had to? You lied to me! You hid him _from me!_" I realize that Rosalie has left us alone, but my tirade goes on, "What possible excuse could you have? How could you? You know what that woman…" I break down, overwhelmed by memories and pain, sobbing into Carlisle's shoulder as he gathers me up in his arms.

"Esme, my love," Carlisle pleads while holding me gently, "I couldn't bear it if you were to extend our battle because you could not see past personal vengeance. This boy may be willing to help us. He claims to be the agent that spared Peter's life, and if he is, then he is not one of the Volturi. If he is not one of the Volturi, he may help us to take them down; does his name really mean so much?" I choke back another sob and draw away.

"Carlisle, that family, that woman… I cannot trust any of them. How can you trust them? How can you let him free, how can you endanger Jasper?"

"Jasper can handle himself, Esme, and I am not trusting Masen, I'm simply giving us time to verify his story before we decide what to do. If you can't handle this situation and he is telling the truth about his loyalties, I will have him moved away from Seattle. You never have to see him, I swear. In the meantime, I need you to trust me, trust that I have your best interests, and the best interests of this entire project at heart." I wanted to trust Carlisle, and if I could, he would humor me. I needed to know where they wer

"Carlisle, where are they? Tell me where they are."

Carlisle sighs, "If I tell you, I know you will take matters into your own hands, and I could not live with myself if I allowed you to harm this cause, or do something that you may later regret, Esme. Can't you trust me without forcing me into this position?"

I draw away completely, pulling myself up into standing position. I wipe the tears from my face. He doesn't trust me, and I cannot trust him. I will not be hurt by Victoria Masen or anyone intimately involved with her. I will not let my guard down.

"I'm going back to work, Carlisle, and if this situation ends in pain or bloodshed, if any of my children are hurt, I will never speak to you again."

I pull on my suit and tie up my hair loosely. I walk to the door, open it, and leave Carlisle sitting on the bed. I make my way quickly to the ops center and call for Alice and Rosalie to join me in my office.

Ten minutes later, both women have been briefed on the current situation and given assignments. I task Rosalie to try and track them using the Vanquish, and I have Alice try to reach out to Jasper, since she is the closest to him, other than Carlisle. I emphasize that deadly force is authorized; Masen must be brought in or brought down. Rosalie seems more pleased than Alice at this, but both women nod and disappear, and I pick up the file on Masen. I need to learn everything possible about this man if I am to interact with him. I refuse to be caught flat-footed again. Damn Carlisle. My hands clench on the file as I begin to read, itching to pick up a gun.

* * *

><p>Jpov<p>

Alice looked at me sharply, "I can't say exactly how, it's not my story to tell, Jasper, but I think Carlisle has confided enough that you can piece it together," she raised one eyebrow then turned to Edward, "You, Edward, what is your birthday?"

"February 21, 1989." He answered, still shell-shocked, Alice growled.

"It figures she would pick that day, Victoria is not your mother, Edward, you aren't even related to her. We can prove it all later, but I'm sure Jasper will agree with me that the familial resemblance is too strong to ignore," She looked at me for confirmation, I nodded, still not sure how I had missed the similarities.

"Your real birthday is April 12, and you are the son of Esme and Carlisle Cullen. The details are a little sketchy, but somehow, the Volturi convinced Esme that you were stillborn. Your death is, ironically, the reason she wants to kill you." Alice stared at his face for another moment, as if still not sure she believed her own eyes, then she turned on me, "Jasper, how thick are you that you didn't see the resemblance?" I muttered something unintelligible and turned red, Edward was also flushed, remembering exactly how we were both distracted at and after our first meeting. Alice paused, then looked back at Edward, with his shirt ripped open and his hair mussed from our recent activities, she took in my appearance too, though I probably didn't look as thoroughly debauched as Edward did. She realized what it all meant, and smirked at me, "Don't tell me it finally happened," then she clapped her hands together as if delighted, "I'm so happy for you!" I remained deep crimson but stared defiantly at her, daring her to see the depths of my happiness.

Alice looked at me critically, as if judging my level of infatuation, I continued to blush deeply. "Well, given that you're still completely distracted, that explains why you didn't notice, but what about Rosalie? Or Carlisle for that matter. They have no such excuse." I looked up at Alice. I thought about Rosalie's story, Royce King and his team of Volturi goons and what they'd done, Rosalie probably saw Royce and his cronies any time the name Volturi was mentioned.

"Alice, you know why Rose joined, you know she's more blind than anyone when it comes to Volturi, they aren't people to her, just animals. And in Carlisle's defense, he never actually _saw_ Edward." I finally understood how it had all happened.

"I never knew Esme was pregnant, I asked Carlisle about it once, since they treat us like their family, but he left out the stillbirth." _He did slip up though, you knew something was missing, there was something else. Edward was the something else._

Alice took out her phone and began to dial before frowning, "Why am I not getting any reception here? We're in the middle of downtown Seattle for crying out—" she stopped abruptly, tensing. I heard the elevator begin to move and cast a glance at her, "They couldn't possibly have—" she breathed, then cursed.

"They knew where we were, they followed me, Oh god, Sanctum!" I noticed the elevator climbing floors; it was about 5 floors away, and approaching.

"Alice, if your phone is jammed, I have a feeling we're going to have company. All I have is a tranq gun." Edward was at my side in an instant, "Jasper, give me the gun, they won't expect me to be free, maybe I can convince them I've escaped and get the jump on them, you and Alice hide."

He tugged the weapon from my reluctant grasp and switched off the safety. He checked that the chamber was loaded and cocked the hammer. Alice swiftly ducked to the side, away from the line of sight out of the elevator. I dashed back to the kitchen and crouched next to the bar where I could still see Edward.

Edward stood there with the gun held loosely in one hand, looking completely at ease. The doors opened and I heard several pairs of shoes, at least 2 of them high heeled, tromp into the room. I heard the sound of footsteps stop abruptly, drawn up short. Edward's eyes flashed at whoever had gotten off the elevator.

"What is this, Eddie? Where's that pixie bitch we followed here, and how the hell did you get out of Sanctum alive? We thought you'd been captured." The voice was syrupy and venomous. I wanted to see who it was, but stayed hidden, not wanting to put Edward in even more danger.

"They were waiting for me, Irina, someone set me up. The base wasn't empty at all, they got the jump on me and took me captive." Edward sounded perfectly sincere, though his voice was also steely, as if challenging her to deny that he was intended to fail.

"How did you and Kate find me? The operatives that brought me here thought this location was off-grid, they were trying to break me."

Another voice responded, "We were watching the Sanctum rats, to see where they would go. We followed the small black haired one here; I don't even think she noticed the tail. Where is she, Eddie? Did you take care of her?" I felt a chill down my spine and I silently prayed that Edward knew what he was doing.

"She's in the other room with the men who brought me, they're all incapacitated, but you know I don't kill people, Kate."

"Then what's with the gun, Eddie?" the one I assumed was Irina asked.

"Self-defense," Edward replied, "You can check the other room if you don't believe me," he gestured toward the other half of the apartment. I assumed that the Volturi operatives had turned to look where he pointed because at that point he brought the gun up and squeezed the trigger 4 times in rapid succession. I heard a muted gasp and 4 thumps as the entire team toppled to the ground, unconscious. I peeked around the corner and saw two heads of long hair, one brown the other red, and two hulking men. One of the men was Jake and the other I didn't know.

I rose and strode over to make sure Jake was alright, Alice whistled, "I'll be damned, Edward, you sure know how to drop 'em." She glanced at me questioningly.

"Jake will be fine, the only question is, do we leave him with the others? Or should we take him?"

"Leave him, Jasper, if he disappears, they'll probably discover Seth, we need to get both of them out of there safely." Alice grabbed my hand and pulled me up from the floor, my head was whirling with the events of the past 10 minutes. I had gone progressively from euphoria to confusion to hope to terror, and now I was settling somewhere near adrenaline crash.

"Is there anything we need to take with us from here, Jasper?" Alice asked, breaking through my slight daze, I blinked and shook my head to clear it. I noticed Edward standing where he had been before, still wearing my ripped shirt, "I think Edward might need a new shirt," I blushed as I saw his eyes darken again, he caught me up in a passionate kiss as he set the gun on the table, then he released me, "You should take the bag of money under the sink too, pixie girl." He called over his shoulder as he picked up the bag with clothes and rifled through, pulling out a powder blue t-shirt and quickly stripping off the button up.

I groaned inwardly as I saw his naked back once again, though this time I felt less ashamed of ogling him, I had earned it, I reasoned. The shirt hugged his biceps tantalizingly, but he immediately brought out a brown leather jacket and shrugged it on, covering up. He also pulled something from the pocket and when he turned I took in the full look. He was wearing my jeans (slightly mussed from earlier sexing), the hot-as-hell, powder blue t-shirt that looked about a size too small, a leather jacket, and fuck-hot sunglasses. Combined with his sex-hair, it was almost enough to make me lose control and pounce on him.

Luckily I restrained myself, and by the time Alice returned with the bag of cash, I was pointedly ignoring his gorgeous self. She glanced from Edward to me, then grumbled something about horny teens and jerked her head toward the elevator, bidding us to follow her. I grabbed the gun and Edward's hand, pulling him onto the elevator after me, and the silver metal doors swished shut behind us.

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is slightly shorter than what I've been writing so far, I'm trying to get the pacing right for the narrative I have while also having enough action and lemons to not make it boring. Give me feedback on Esme's Journal, do you like it? Hate it? These are only excerpts from significant events surrounding this story, and they are intended to indicate her depth of hatred for the Volturi. I wanted to show **_**why**_ **she would be likely to kill Edward for being a Masen (though given his startling resemblance to both her and Carlisle, it is unlikely that she would actually have done it, which will be illustrated later when they meet.) **

**Do I need to explore Jasper's feelings toward Edward? They're both so innocent, and so overwhelmed by the sensations of each other that they haven't really been analyzing what's happened. Yay for Edward jumping the gun and opening the door to non-angsty, if over-zealous lemons!**

**Supplemental A/N: To clarify, Edward hasn't killed anyone, the gun he was using was a tranquilizer gun. He didn't have anything with live rounds and didn't think to take Alice's (which was loaded with bullets). This is fortunate because it means that Jake hasn't been killed, but seemed to cause a little confusion. The Denali sisters will get theirs, as will the rest, but Edward is still innocent.  
><strong>


	6. Rosalie and Revenge

**A/N: If you've gotten this far into the story and you're under 18, you're just ignoring me **

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight, Stephanie Meyer does.**

**This story is beta'd by the lovely DreamingPoet1988. All mistakes are still mine, though :D.  
><strong>

Sanctum

Chapter 6 - Rosalie and Revenge

Epov

Six days. I've been with Jasper for 6 days, and for more than 5 of them, we've been in imminent danger. I admit I never thought it was remotely possible that he would return my feelings, or that he would be so... mmm… aggressive. God it turns me on, and every time I think of the counter in that apartment I grow hard instantly. We've had some stolen moments over the past few days, but every time we get even mildly worked up, Alice flounces through a doorway, all innocent like. If and when we manage to have some time alone, away from her, we're going to hide away for a few weeks, just exploring each other.

We're here in some dinky-ass hideaway now, luckily below Volturi radar, thanks to 2 venue changes in the last 4 days. Oh, did I mention we've picked up some friends? That's right, turns out the pixie is best friends with Blondie and her man. Well, teammates or some shit like that. I'm just a little jealous, since I've never liked anyone even remotely enough to consider working with them on a daily basis (well, perhaps Jack, and definitely Jasper). I suppose I should go back to the apartment situation and explain what's happened.

* * *

><p><em>5 days ago<em>

Pixie shows up, embarrassing us all and spouting off some bizarre story about my being related to the woman Jasper claimed wanted to kill me, I have the worst luck in relatives. I don't really have time to process all of this, because of course; the Denali sisters pay us a visit. I'm able to put my training to good use (take that James) and we leave the apartment. We can't get through to Sanctum, and Alice assumes that it's because the place has been assaulted. She argues with Jasper, and I support Jasper, since I like him a hell of a lot better than pixie, even though she seems cool. She fucking pulls rank, and sticks us in a god-awful hotel room.

I secretly hope she'll leave us be, but I follow the conversation, still interested in what the fuck we're planning on doing, now that the supposedly secure place Jasper took me has been completely compromised.

"Jasper, I can't just leave the two of you alone, you know why."

"I trust him."

"I don't."

"Alice, please, he's not like the others, he helped us."

"I could have taken care of that."

"You didn't have to, because _Edward did." _

"Have you fucked him?" My eyebrows shoot up and Jasper looks at me flushing.

"That's none of your business," Jasper replies. Alice narrows her eyes at me before turning back to Jasper.

"If you've fucked him, this discussion is over; you clearly can't think straight where he's concerned." I grin at this, because the straight comment amuses me. I think Alice knows why I'm grinning because she huffs and crosses her arms at me, "He's gay, you're gay, I get it, and it wasn't funny, Masen."

"If it wasn't funny, then how did you know what amused me?" I ask reasonably, her eyes narrow even more. I shut up.

"Alice, I don't care if you don't trust Edward, trust me. I've never let you down—"

"Port Angeles, last year."

"For Christ sake, Alice, that wasn't my fault, I fucking got pulled over for a broken taillight, besides, that wasn't a matter of great import."

"We were _SHOPPING!" _she says this last as if it is the most vital activity in existence. I hold back a snort, not wanting to face her glare of death again.

"He won't run."

"And if he does, what will you do, Jasper?" I look at Jasper, I'm mildly curious to know what he would do, even though I don't intend to run.

"I'd… distract him." I grin, that he would.

Alice scowls at both of us.

"You two are pathetic; I might vomit if I didn't have to leave the room to do it. I'm not leaving you alone and that's final, and if you do more than kiss, I will cut them off." She points her first two fingers at her own eyes and then at Jasper's, he gulps. I don't ask what 'they' are. I don't really want to know.

Jasper sighs and turns to me, "She did say we could kiss." He shrugs apologetically; I grin and lean in, capturing his lips with my own.

"I take it back," Alice says, I glance over at her and she's eyeing us, "You two are fucking hot, do whatever, but I'm going to watch." I pull away from Jasper nervously, he glares at Alice.

"Fucking cock-blocking… PIXIE!" he's pissed and I don't blame him; she's making me uncomfortable too. Alice sticks her tongue out at him and settles back onto the bed, pulling out her phone for the thousandth time and checking to make sure it's on. She tries the call again, and then slumps back onto the bed.

"I don't know why nobody has returned my message. The emergency channels should be monitored if they're under assault or siege." She mutters to herself, turning away from us and fisting the pillow to get comfortable. I sigh and lie down on the other bed, pulling Jasper to me; we kiss gently for a few minutes. I feel my eyes drooping. I haven't slept since yesterday, and since there's nothing better to do…

* * *

><p><em>4 days ago<em>

"Wake up, Honey, your beauty sleep is over. We need to move," I hear a familiar voice and burrow deeper into the warmth beside me, willing the nightmare to go away before it truly starts. Then I feel a sharp jabbing in my side.

"Hey, lay off, Rose," Jasper's voice rumbles through me, he's beside me and I inhale, breathing in his warm scent, "Why do you call him that anyway?" I open my eyes, then squint to relieve the ache of light around me. I blink rapidly, still listening to the conversation. Figures slowly come into focus as the light recedes and I see Blondie standing above me, looking skeptical, behind her is a giant of a man with short dark hair and an impassive look on his face. I shrink away from Blondie, not sure what it all means.

"He told me his bond girl persona would be Honey Rider, now I see why. What the fuck did you do to Jasper, Honey, why is he all gooey eyed and protective?" She directs the last comment at me, Jasper moves away to reposition himself between the two of us.

"Rose, you promised you would listen. Look at Edward, not the Volturi on the bed, look at Edward, who does he remind you of?" Blondie peers around Jasper and examines me, and then her eyes flick back to Jasper."

"He still looks like a Volturi to me, Whitlock, quit being obtuse." I see the brunet lean around to examine me and his brown eyes grow wide as they lock with my green ones.

"Holy shit, Rosie, they're right. Look at the eyes, and that hair. Fuck he looks like them, but I don't understand how that's even possible." Blondie twists around to glare at the giant.

"Okay fine, let's say that I believe you, for argument's sake. Just because he might be related to Carlisle and Esme genetically doesn't mean he's trustworthy."

"He took down 4 Volturi operatives." Jasper said, exasperated.

"One of them was Jake, and he didn't kill them anyway, they're probably fine. Alice would have taken them out if he hadn't and you know it." Blondie retorted.

"Alice didn't have to, he risked himself. They could easily have shot him, but he avoided bloodshed." Jasper's eyes flashed dangerously.

"You're clearly compromised, Whitlock, and I refuse to trust him based on your word alone. Alice isn't even confident enough to leave the two of you alone together." I can tell Blondie's words hurt Jasper and I reach out, laying a hand on his shoulder. He grabs it in one of his and sinks down to the bed.

"Just… please give him a chance Rose; I know he's on our side." Jasper's hand reaches out to grab Blondie's; I see them communicating silently before Blondie tilts her head away. She has a pained expression on her face and her eyes are closed.

Alice appears in the doorway, she's agitated, and I can see worry etched in her forehead, "They're almost here, no time for pleasantries." She bustles around, making sure we don't leave anything behind. Jasper pulls me out the door and Blondie and the giant follow, moving stealthily as possible. I see that it's early morning outside, and we're creeping away from the direction of the parking lot. I assume that the Volturi have found us, though I have no idea how. Maybe Blondie led them to us. I'm sure I'll get the full account later, but apparently, they're close, so I shut up and follow Jasper. His dark form disappears around the corner, and I follow. He holds out a hand and grabs me, pulling me close. I press my lips against him, but he pulls away and puts a finger to his lips. Blondie and the giant are close behind, followed by Alice. The pixie has a glint in her eye, and she motions for me to cover my ears. I obey just in time to avoid the loud blast that sounds from the direction we just came. I hear a scream and my eyes widen at Jasper. He shrugs apologetically, but immediately motions for me to follow and sets off again.

I hear sirens in the distance as we cross a small yard, my shoes soak through from dew by the time we emerge on the other side to find a non-descript grey van and hop in. I sit in the back with Alice and Jasper while Blondie and the giant take the front seat with Blondie driving.

"What the fuck is going on?" I ask, trying to remain calm, but I'm starting to freak from the implications of what I assume was a bomb.

"We're making sure nobody can follow us." Alice responds, I raise an eyebrow, beginning to feel fury creep up from the pit of my stomach.

"So you kill people to stay safe? How does that make you different from the Volturi?"

I hear Blondie muttering and Alice turns to her, eyes sharp, "Care to share with the class, Rose?"

"I don't fucking care who he is, he will not compare me to those…" She sputters to a stop, apparently unable to think of a word that portrays the depth of her hatred and contempt for the Volturi. I shudder involuntarily and grab Jasper's hand in mine. I see Blondie's hands gripping the steering wheel, white with fury.

Alice raises a hand, "Before this escalates, I'll tell you what we know so far, Masen." She catches my eye and makes sure I'm paying attention.

"This morning, I finally got through to Sanctum. They are under siege, and the lines of communication in and out are being blocked. I was only able to get a partial message through. I found out that Rosalie and Emmett had left base a few hours after I did, just before the siege started.

"Sanctum is still secure, but no traffic is getting in or out until we can figure out some way to deal with the Volturi operation that's keeping it going. Rosalie thought she'd found out where you two were, but the lead was bad. Luckily, I was able to contact her and Emmett, and we set up a rendezvous just before they got back to base. The problem is, Volturi have been tracking the movements of off-base personnel since before I left, so they followed Rosalie and Emmett right to us.

"The reason we used a bomb in the hotel room is because we wanted to throw the Volturi off. Hopefully, in the confusion no one will think to ask who set the bomb, and that might give us some breathing room while we figure out what to do. I'm confident that nobody was killed when the charge went off, partly because I made sure that the rooms adjacent to ours were empty in case any collateral debris penetrated the walls, and I detonated shortly before any Volturi had time to get into the kill zone."

I relax, satisfied that they did what they could to preserve life. Jasper smiles at me and leans in to kiss my cheek. I turn my face and capture his lips instead, feeling his relief that I believe Alice and trust his friends enough to blindly follow them.

I have a few questions, "How did you find Jasper and me in the apartment, Pixie?" She grins at my nickname for her.

"There are very few secrets in Sanctum that I haven't unraveled. I have a naturally curious nature augmented by the fact that I was caught flat-footed as a teen. I was captured by the Volturi and they performed experiments on me, trying to mess with my brain, so I always try to plan escape routes. Carlisle's hideaway in LA was well stocked, so when we arrived here, I assumed he would set up a similar place, and I snooped in his belongings until I found a key and an address. When I figured out that he was the one that sent Jasper away, I assumed his apartment would be the first place he'd stow you."

She looks mildly put out, "I'm just mad that I didn't figure out I had a tail, and I'm a little sorry I interrupted your… whatever the fuck you were doing. As I said before, you are welcome to continue," Her eyes glint wickedly as she waggles her eyebrows at me, Emmett turns around in his seat and pantomimes retching in my direction, and I can't help but laugh. He grins back at me, and I feel like he, perhaps, doesn't judge me for my Volturi origins. I tally what I know in my head. Jasper and Emmett seem to be in support, Alice is neutral, possibly leaning toward trust, but she wouldn't let us alone. Blondie is downright hateful, but I did antagonize her, and she seems to have some baggage that goes well beyond her encounters with me. Jasper mentioned something about her past; perhaps I can ask him about her later.

Jasper pulls me against him, and I lay my head on his shoulder, wrapping my arms around his waist. Alice begins to study some files and Emmett seems to be polishing an armament of weaponry that he has produced from various pockets and holsters. Blondie keeps her eyes on the road and drives. I feel myself drifting off again.

* * *

><p><em>1 hour later <em>

I wake up as the van comes to a halt. From the ache in my neck, I assume we've been on the road for awhile, and I pull away from Jasper's arms, causing him to stir in protest. I roll my shoulders and neck, loosening the muscles and glance at Alice questioningly, "How long have we been driving?" I inquire. "Almost an hour," she responds, packing her files away. Emmett opens the back doors and motions for us to come with him, "Jasper, you and Masen grab those duffle bags and come on," he growls good naturedly. I consider his tone, rough but without malice, and decide that it is simply how he talks. Jasper and I pick up the indicated bags of gear and follow Alice out the back of the van. I peer around at our new location, and I realize we've traveled well outside the city. Jasper slows to a halt as he looks around, then shakes his head, "I'm not staying here," he continues shaking his head, eyes wide with something like fear, "I can't, it's… It hasn't been packed up; all his things will be there." Alice huffs and starts toward the door of the unimposing 2 story house.

"If you want to stay in the van, you can, but it's been 4 years, Jasper. He's not coming back and you need to move on." I glance at Jasper curiously, wondering why he is reacting to the house so negatively. Blondie and Emmett have already entered the structure, and Alice walks up to Jasper, grabbing his chin in her hand, "Bella said we could use this location as a backup in case we ever needed to run ops outside of Sanctum. It's the only reason she still owns the house. Charlie isn't haunting it, he's dead. You need to man up, because we have work to do if we're going to get back to Esme and Carlisle and if I am going to see Garrett again. I'm not asking you to deal, Jasper, I'm ordering you. I'm in command, and you need to pull yourself together. If we need to work in the house of a dead man in order to bring down the Volturi we will. Hell, I'd sleep in Charlie's coffin if that's what it took." She gave him a steely look and Jasper squared his shoulders.

"You're right, Alice, I'm sorry, I just haven't been here since the… I haven't been here in more than 4 years." Jasper hoists the bags up as Alice releases his chin and turns to stride into the house. I follow, taking in the dark stained wooden siding, the rocking chair on the porch, and the unkempt lawn.

Inside is cozy. All the furniture is picked for comfort rather than aesthetic. The kitchen is small and unexciting, and the other rooms are relatively uncluttered as well. There are only 3 bedrooms, but Alice says Jasper and I have permission to share. I grin at the scowl on Blondie's face as she sighs and shakes her head. Emmett gives me a thumbs-up and a reprisal of the eyebrow waggle Alice treated me to earlier.

Rose sits on the couch and begins to unpack an entire media center from one bag, setting up 4 different monitors, what looks like 3 separate computers, and a mini satellite dish. She uplinks to some database and begins pulling up files. Most look like Seattle Volturi op breakdowns. It looks like Sanctum has been trying to pinpoint the Volturi center of operations for awhile. They know where our training facility is, as well as two of the satellite offices, but they only have speculation as to the location of the main office.

"It's the building on South Lander," I comment mildly and Blondie gapes at me, quickly turning the screens so I can't see from my angle.

"I see you've been cataloguing locations of possible Volturi operations, the HQ you're looking for is on Lander. I can help you get in." She grumbles, but Alice clears her throat and nods significantly at Blondie. Blondie caves and turns the screens back, and I pick up the keyboard, starting to type everything I know about security and anti-infiltration countermeasures. Blondie fishes out another keyboard and turns her attention to a second screen. I finish quite quickly and set the keyboard down gingerly, retreating a bit. Blondie ignores me… pointedly. I clear my throat and choose my words carefully before speaking, not sure who I'm really talking to, but hoping they'll at least hear me out, "If you want more information on the Seattle Volturi, I can give you their complete financial records for the past 2 years." Blondie stares at me again in disbelief. I continue, "I also kept a separate database that prioritizes possible Volturi targets by how essential they are to the Seattle operation as a whole. I have addresses, figures, and some names, though not a complete list of workers." I try not to look at anyone, but Jasper sits next to me and takes my hand in his. He kisses my forehead, and Alice props her hands on her hips.

"So… I take it you've been considering this little jaunt on our side for awhile then?" she queries.

I nod, "About 10 years… give or take… I had some data collected on the London branch 6 years ago, but then… I got too close to an operative, and he was killed. I worried that someone would catch on, and my mortality seemed to be a little too close to me, so I stopped hacking their servers. When I came to Seattle, I was just waiting for an opportunity to get the information to someone, but I haven't left the base in 2 years, since I'm not a field agent anymore."

Blondie glares at me when I say 'anymore,' "Too bloody for you?" She asks scathingly, I meet her glare and nod. She growls, and I flinch away, "pig," she spits, then turns back to her work.

"I don't know what your problem with me is, Blondie, I've already explained that I didn't kill Peter Conrad, he was my test."

"You've admitted to being a field agent, _Honey_, don't think I don't know what that means, I'm _intimately _familiar with the MO of Volturi agents." She bites off each word as if she would rather be pummeling me, which she probably would. I know she won't believe me, but I want Jasper to know at least.

"I refused to kill, that's why I was transferred to Seattle. When my mo—when Victoria tasked me with Conrad's killing, it was 2 years after my best friend left. He told me he wished he'd never carried out his mission, told me it tortured him, and that I shouldn't let the Volturi corrupt me like that. I pretended to kill Conrad and assaulted Victoria when I got back to base. I promised the next person I would kill would be her if she forced me to go on violent ops, so she tasked me with retrieval and scouting missions instead. She kept trying to push me to do more, but I was _defective_," I spit out the word, proud that I'd disappointed her in that way, "Sending me to work for James was punishment. He never liked me, so he thought a desk job would be perfectly ignominious for me. I didn't care, as long as I didn't have to go into the field.

Blondie eyes me speculatively for a moment, and I think she might be considering a change of opinion. Her gaze hardens and she shakes her head, "I don't care what sob story you tell, Honey, I'm not that easy. I need proof; you have to _earn _my trust." She sets her keyboard aside and pulls her feet up under her; she looks at Alice, then back to me and Jasper. "Jasper, you know the bulk of this story, and if Edward here can stomach hearing what his comrades do, then I'll fill in the details. Afterwards if you still think I should trust Edward blindly you will understand why I refuse." I glance at Jasper hesitantly before nodding and turning my attention back to Blondie.

Only then does she start to speak. I'm captivated by the pain in her voice and the horror of her story, and I can't take my eyes off of her or Emmett, who is holding her hand, giving her strength. Alice turns away. Clearly she's heard the story before. Jasper pulls me closer as the tale unfolds, and I am grateful for the comfort of his presence.

* * *

><p><em>(7 years ago, as related by Rosalie Hale)<em>

"_The dress was purple satin, almost black. I always knew I was the most beautiful woman in the room, and I loved it. In southern California, in the highest circles of society, parents still treat their daughters like princesses at court. My parents were the pinnacle of society, so I was practically royalty. _

"_I grew up wanting nothing. My father was a wealthy banker, and my mother was a pillar of the community. They were perfect in every way, and nothing but the best would do for me, their crowning achievement. I loved it._

"_When I was 8, I was given a gigantic dollhouse, big enough that I could crawl around inside. At 10, I was given a horse and riding lessons. And on it went, every whim was granted, I was a spoiled bitch by the time I was a teenager, but I was presentable and every bit the demure socialite when in polite company. _

"_I was a typical debutante; I entered society on the arm of one of the richest boys in town, Royce King. He was the match my parents chose, and he seemed perfect. He was tall and handsome, his father was a Senator, and his mother was an heiress. For two years, he courted me, and I flaunted my beauty in front of the entire town. The night of my 18__th__ birthday was the day my parents wanted me to officially accept Royce's proposal. I was vexatious and contrary, and I had convinced myself that Royce was too pedestrian. In a fit of caprice, I spent the month leading up to my birthday ignoring him. I found a local boy who was poor and took him out, buying him ridiculous gifts and taunting Royce and my parents with him. _

"_The night of my birthday, I was wearing the dress, it was strapless and elegant, it showcased my figure and put all my friends and rivals to shame. I was the belle of the ball, quite literally._

"_I knew that in order to fulfill my parents' wishes, I would probably marry Royce, but I spent my last night of freedom virtually ignoring him. At the end of the party, he proposed, and I took his ring…_

"_My parents were thrilled, of course, and I felt that I'd made the right decision. Royce was smiling at me for the public to see, but he grabbed my arm hard and held me by his side. I didn't want to show anyone that I was frightened, so I let him pull me away, claiming that he wanted some quiet time with his fiancée. I stumbled after him, still in his vice-like grip._

"_He pulled me out to a small, secluded grove of trees. Then he smacked me in the face. I was shocked by the blow, and didn't react beyond the surprise on my face. Then he began to shout at me. He said I was a fucking slut, a cheap hussy who teased him and didn't know what respect was. He hit me again and said I would respect him. He said a Volturi agent would not have a harlot as a wife. I was on the ground from the second blow._

"_I was afraid and helpless. I'd never faced a situation where I wasn't in control, and the helplessness I felt was overwhelming. Royce ripped the side of my dress open, grabbed my breast, and squeezed it until I started to cry. He laughed at me and forced me to… pleasure him. I didn't know what else to do, so I obeyed, to naïve and weak to take control and dictate my own life. _

"_When he was satisfied that I'd been sufficiently shamed, he took me home so that I could clean up and keep the truth from everyone. I was so ashamed; I never said anything to my parents. _

"_They pushed for the wedding to happen quickly, so a month later, we were married. He took me away from society, locked me away for weeks and raped me repeatedly. He brought his friends, his fellow Volturi, and let them rape me and beat me. I don't know how long it went on, months, maybe even a full year. He finally grew tired of me and simply left me to my misery and shame._

"_I didn't realize, but he was holding me inside a secondary Volturi base in Los Angeles. About a year before we took down the entire LA operation, there was a raid on the building where I was being held. Royce and a couple of his friends escaped, but most of the men who had raped me were killed. I pounded on the door, trying to get someone's attention, trying to find help. Emmett was part of that raid, he found the door and broke it down. He saw me standing there, naked and broken. My entire body was covered with signs of my abuse. Emmett didn't say a word, he never offered pity or sympathy. He simply stripped off his shirt and handed it to me, then picked me up when I was covered and carried me out of the base. It took nearly 3 months for all my broken bones to heal and for me to regain my strength after being malnourished for so long. _

"_Royce got away with his atrocities, as have many other Volturi. They are murderers, rapists, and cowards. They prey on the weak, and take what they want without remorse or conscience. I will find Royce one day, and I will repay him, blow for blow."_

* * *

><p>Rosalie pounds the table while a single tear glistens on her skin. I swallow uncomfortably, knowing that her impression of the Volturi is accurate. I simply cannot say anything that will change that. I know how vile and horrible this group is. I know they victimize anyone they can as long as it furthers their goals or nets them a profit.<p>

"Rose, I had no idea," Jasper says quietly, his face is a mask of horror, but it slowly shifts to something closer to anger, "You can't possibly think that Edward—" I lay a hand on his. He looks at me and I shake my head. She is right, trust is earned, and the Volturi have built a wall of bitterness in Rosalie that will be very difficult to scale.

"Can I talk to Rosalie alone for a moment?" I ask quietly. Emmett gives me a long probing look before nodding and standing. He walks out of the room with Alice and Jasper in tow. Rosalie stares into space, and I know instinctively that she is recalling the torture and degradation she faced.

"Rosalie, I know where Royce King is," I say quietly. Her head snaps to the side and her eyes go wide as she stares at me. Her hands are trembling fists at her side and she draws ragged, desperate breaths.

* * *

><p><em>2 years, 4 months ago<em>

I hear my footsteps echo in the empty corridor and revel in the moment of silence before I reach Victoria's office. I pause at the sight of the dark wooden door inset into the austere grey expanse of wall. I hear a murmur of voices behind the door and steel myself before grasping the handle and pulling the door open.

Victoria is standing over her desk, hands planted on either side of a touch screen. Her red hair is tumbling down around her face, but for all that, her hard features dispel any possible allure of the scene. She is scowling, and as soon as she hears me enter, the object of her displeasure shifts from whomever she was talking with to me. I stand quietly as she eyes me up and down. She gives a quiet snort of disgust.

"So, Edward, I hear your latest mission was a _success_," her tone indicates she does not agree with the official assessment. I flick my eyes to her face and frown.

"We gathered the Intel you requested, and there were no injuries…" I trail off at the sour expression on her face.

"You left the guard alive. He alerted security and you damn near got caught. You almost fucking blew the operation, boy." I hate when she talks down to me, but I know matching wits with her will only end in another vastly unpleasant mission. I think back to the sewer and suppress a shudder.

"We got away, didn't we?"

"That's not the fucking point! I don't need to worry about your pacifist bullshit when you're in the field, Edward. If you won't fucking pull the trigger, let one of the others do it. People are refusing to work with you." Her fury washes against me, but I can't bring myself to care. She sighs and sits down in her chair.

"You have such potential, son, if you fucking pull it together and abandon this misplaced compassion you have… They're small people, Edward; their lives are small, worthless. You need to screw your head on straight."

"I killed once, and I won't again, _Mother_," I really don't want to get into the topic again. Her eyes narrow.

"Very well, _Edward_, since you refuse to step up, I'm forced to reassign you. I can't have you leading operations, endangering the lives of every member of your team."

"I'm the best goddamn tactician on base, my ops are flawless."

She holds up a hand, "Until you learn to weigh the lives of your team more than those of meaningless civilians, you are the _worst_ tactician, regardless of your strategies." I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to gather my calm. She sits in silence for a moment, then there is a knock at the door, "Come in," Victoria calls. The door swings outward and a group of three men enter.

"Welcome to Great Britain, Mr. King," Victoria greets the tall man with dark hair, then she turns to me, "Edward, meet Royce King, your new team leader." The man appraises me and seems to find me wanting. He looks down his nose at me and nods archly. I sigh, just when I thought my misery was complete, a babysitter. Perfect.

* * *

><p><em>4 Days ago<em>

"I can access Volturi records from their server room here in Seattle and find out if he's still stationed in London. I have a feeling, given the history I've heard of between Esme and Victoria, we'll be turning our attention there after we finish with the Volturi here, and it would be my pleasure to hold that piece of shit down while you show him some hospitality." I reach out a hand to Rosalie, hoping she will see this for what it is, an olive branch. She tentatively reaches for my hand, as a wide, mirthless smile breaks out across her face.

"I don't think I've ever liked you more, Honey," she says, almost warmly.

* * *

><p><em>3 days ago<em>

I never knew there was anything more boring than accounting, but apparently, re-reading accounting records is. Since Rosalie and I formed our mutual dislike society (a definite step up from our mutual hatred society), we've been able to work together. She's surprisingly fast at deciphering my data files into workable intelligence.

I convinced Rose to let me uplink to the remote server where I stored my copy of the Volturi records, and as soon as we had them, we started printing, and kept at it for nearly 6 hours. We started with the most recent files, and have kept a log of all the ops we might want to move against, working back for the last two years.

I finally pull the last sheaf of papers from the printer and Rose announces that we have all the files printed that I copied. Emmett is currently entering addresses into the Sanctum virtual map and marking them with the correct blurb for the type of crime perpetrated at each location. Alice has been plotting the best ways of circumventing Volturi security (at least as much of it as I know) and is using my description of the interior of the base to formulate an assault plan. I'm pretty sure she's insane, since there's no way that the 5 of us are going to take down the entire base, but she seems confident that we need a plan of action, so I let the subject drop.

Jasper has been pretending to read files, but every time I look at him, he's staring at me hungrily. I don't blame him, I can't keep my mind off him for more than a few minutes, and I've been in a constant state of arousal for hours as he eye-fucks me shamelessly.

"For god's sake, get a room," Rose snaps as she catches us gazing at each other in mutual desire. I hear Alice snort.

"Oh please, when you and Emmett got together, we nearly had to handcuff you to opposite sides of the room to keep you from undressing in front of us all," Emmett grins widely and Rose narrows her eyes at Alice.

"I don't have to take that from you, Alice," Rose says, voice over-sweet, "I hear you had to move your quarters away from the other bunks when you and Garrett got together. Carlisle told me you kept everyone else up for 6 months, 'more Gar, harder, oh god, GAR!'" Rose does a spot on imitation of Alice's voice, complete with moans and orgasmic sounds. I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing, and I see Emmett's shoulders shaking as he typed.

"That's it," Jasper says, standing and walking toward me purposefully, "If y'all made other people suffer through you, I'm not gonna' feel bad about makin' you suffer," His voice is rough with desire, and his accent has thickened noticeably. I grow harder and flush as he grabs my arm and pulls me to my feet. A stack of papers flutters to the ground as he pulls me flush to his body. His length brushes mine, and I hold back a groan. I gasp a little, loving this confident Jasper. I've waited practically my whole life to be able to have an open relationship, and I'm not going to stop him if he wants to take me somewhere and ravage me. Jasper brings his lips crashing down to mine and I hear a sharp intake of breath from Alice. Rosalie lets out a faintly revolted sound and I hear Emmett shifting, "As much as I love the sight of two handsome dudes going at it, I really must ask you to leave now," he growls, "You're upsetting Rosie, and Alice is about to start squealing." Jasper chuckles against my mouth and breaks away, pulling me toward the door to our shared room.

"You have half an hour," Rosalie calls, "I'm not sifting through all the rest of these files on my own, Honey," the nickname has lost some of its sting, but with my luck, it will stick, and I don't want to have to explain it to anyone else. Seeing Jasper's reaction was embarrassing enough, especially since he was the one who prompted it. I think about his honey voice and kiss him again, dipping my tongue into his mouth to take in his honey and clove flavor once more. I'll never get enough.

We reach the room and I kick the door shut loudly. Jasper slows to a halt and holds me for a moment, kissing me slowly and sweetly. I grip Jasper's sides, sliding my hands slowly up the fabric of his shirt. I feel his nipples under my thumbs and rub them through the thin fabric. I feel him shiver at my touch, so I lightly pinch one nipple and roll it with my fingers. His hips thrust against me and I feel his length against mine. The friction is exquisite and I groan into his mouth, eyes rolling back in my head.

I pull my mouth from his and hug him tightly, wanting to slow us down and just hold him for the first time. I feel caught up in a whirlwind of emotion, and I'm not sure he feels the same. I think back, trying to find any indication that he wants me for anything beyond physical release. I want to believe the look in his eyes is deeper, more meaningful, but I've never been with anyone openly or freely.

The moment I saw his face for the first time, I felt an instant and potent attraction, but I'm drawn to him because of his actions. He's intelligent, witty, shy, and courageous. I love that he risked his life for a stranger, I love that he told me the truth when it was obvious he was trying to maintain professionalism, I love that he let me break through his walls.

I suddenly tense as I realize this might be something less to him.

Jasper feels me tense and lets his arms drop to his sides. I let him go and he steps back, eyeing me warily.

"Is something wrong, Edward?" he asks. I look down and study the pattern of the carpet as I answer.

"I just… I wasn't sure if you…" I look back up to Jasper and he's watching me with concern.

"If I what?"

I take a deep breath. If he doesn't feel the same way, I suppose it's better to find out now. It's not like we're ever going to have a moment less frantic to deal with this. Rip off the band-aid, Masen.

"What are we doing, Jasper. What does all this mean to you? Am I… am I an experiment, a release?" I curse at myself inwardly, I'm such a coward, I can't even look him in the eye to see what he's feeling. I inhale sharply as he steps toward me and I smell him, I almost can't restrain myself.

"Edward, look at me." I shake my head, I can't look at him, or all the words will mean nothing, I won't be able to think.

"Please," he whispers against my hair, kissing my forehead. He cups a hand on my jaw and urges my face up to his. I see his eyes shining, I feel myself drowning in the depths of his gaze as he answers.

"Edward, I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about you. It's not a fling for me. Every time I touch you, every time you look at me, I feel alive. You're so strong and confident, I love that you've won over Rosalie, even a little, in such a short time. I love that you never compromised your values to satisfy a woman who claimed to be your mother. I can't wait for this entire ordeal to be over, for us to be able to move on from the damage the Volturi have cause and just _live. _The one thing you must never doubt is my sincerity, Edward, I want you, and I think I always will." He kisses my cheek tenderly, and I feel wetness on my face and realize I'm crying. I'm relieved and ecstatic, I capture the back of his neck with my hand and turn my face to kiss him, trying to pour all that I feel into that connection, to let him know that I want him too, I want only him, forever.

I pull him to the bed, and we lie down, facing one another. In between kissing, I tell him all about Jack, all the ups and downs. When I tell him about the first time in the sauna, his eyes darken, and I'm worried he's angry until he tells me that there is a sauna in the Sanctum gym. I lick my lips a little at that, imagining taking Jasper there, feeling his long, hard cock between my lips. I shake my head a little to clear it and continue with my story. I tell him how Jack had to kill someone, how he left without saying goodbye. I tell him about the letter, and my decision to avoid killing at all costs.

He tells me about Charlie, about his own fear of not being accepted. He shares how Charlie died, and how much it hurt to know that the man he thought of as a father would never really know who Jasper was. He tells me that he was rejected by the first man he ever felt anything for, so he never put himself out there. He tells me he joined Sanctum to avenge Charlie. He tells me about Carlisle and Esme, my parents.

I think we talk for hours, I'm not sure. When we finally drift off to sleep, we're wrapped in each other's arms, and for a moment, there's nothing else.

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

God, Blondie can be irritating. I get 2 minutes of peace and she comes around and starts ranting. At least when we were in Charlie's house, there was some space for privacy, but given our takedown of the Volturi HQ was happening in downtown Seattle, with a small window of opportunity, we relocated this morning to a miniscule hotel room and Blondie is fucking everywhere. She's starting to get on my nerves, and I'm considering knocking her out and tying her up so that she stops shouting.

"I don't see why we have to wait for _him,_" she's saying, "Jake is nowhere near as competent as we are, I'm sure we could take care of it with no trouble," Alice holds up her hand to silence Rose.

"Jake will be inside, he knows what's at stake, he can make sure we get in with little or no resistance. You should be happy Rose, we're taking a big step today." I feel my stomach flop around, I've been waiting for this moment for years, but over the past 2 days I've seen the plan come together. I see this happening. Just a few more hours and I'll be free from the Volturi. I've promised Rose I'll help her with London, but that can be on our terms. This is now. James is going the fuck down, creepy git.

Emmett comes up behind Blondie and begins kneading her shoulders gently, "Calm down, Rosie, you don't want to be all tense when Jake gets in place, just a few more hours, then we can knock some heads together." He doesn't growl, and I'm so surprised by the gentleness of his tone that I stare at him for a few seconds before he notices and narrows his eyes, "Problem, Masen?" he growls, and I shake my head.

The basic plan is simple. We get in through an escape hatch only high-ranking members of the branch are even aware of. Since it is covert, it's unguarded. We get to the server room and cut the power, and then we take them apart from the inside. I'm pretty sure that blood will be spilled, but I'm hanging back in with Jasper while all the rest of the teams sweep through neutralizing targets as they go. Alice has scared up some Sanctum operatives that were on extended assignment, pulling out a force of 16 agents as well as 5 off-duty cops plus Jasper and myself. I'm the only one not getting a gun.

My nerves mount over the next couple hours. I know we're only taking down a small office with maybe 20 or 30 Volturi total. I know we have an advantage, and we'll most likely come out with total victory, but I have an uneasy feeling that something will go wrong.

… 8 hours later…

It's getting on toward sunset when we get the electronic message we've been waiting for. Jacob has managed to work his way into the Volturi base, escorting Kate and Irina as they returned to be debriefed. I bet they were happy, and I'm sure I'm marked for death. Hopefully nothing will go international before I can cut their server lines and stop their communications.

Alice tells us to ready ourselves, we move in 5 minutes. I have virtually nothing to do but change, so I peel off my shirt and pants and I hear Jasper gasp when he sees my back. Shit, I hadn't wanted him to see that, but it has to wait.

"I'm fine, Jas, let it go and I'll explain it later." I pull the black turtleneck on and turn to see him looking furious. I shuck my jeans and pull on the black pants. I secure a skullcap over my unruly bronze hair and I'm ready.

Jasper double-checks the med kit he's been building for the past day, sure that he can treat anything from minor scrapes and abrasions to removing bullets if the need arises. I'm not sure whether to be relieved that he can do that, or scared that he thinks he might have to. I eye the case nervously.

"I've only had to do it once in 4 years, Edward. Nobody will get shot." I nod shakily, still aware that because of me these people are in danger, they're assaulting an enemy base with only 3 days of real planning. Jasper is satisfied with his case because he snaps it shut and zips up the cover, handing the heavy package to me (I'd much rather be holding another package.) He pulls on a hip holster and shoves a gun in. He also has a leg sheath with a combat knife and an automatic weapon on a strap. I'm jealous.

"Why do you get two guns _and _a knife, and I don't get anything?" I ask, trying not to whine. He flashes me an incredibly sexy smile and kisses me swiftly.

"Don't worry, baby, I'll keep you safe." He's never called me anything but my name before, and I'm instantly hard as a rock. I groan. He smirks and pulls a cap down over his golden hair. I'm about to respond… or possible ravage the ultra-sexy commando in front of me (is he going commando? Maybe I'll explore later) when Alice barges in the door.

"If you two are done with whatever lewd exchange has been happening, we need to leave now."

Jasper puts on an affronted look, "What makes you think we're being lewd?" he demands.

Alice looks pointedly at my crotch and I move the case to cover my obvious boner, "Edward is excited, which might just be from your looks, but the blush on your cheeks says otherwise, Jasper." I look at Jasper's face and sure enough, he's blushing adorably, but his eyes are dark and dangerous. I take a step toward the door in order to restrain myself. He seems to remember where he is and what he's doing, and he glances at Alice apologetically.

"We're right behind you, ma'am." He says, sounding completely professional. There's a wicked glint in his eye and Alice makes a sour face at him but says nothing. I follow Alice out of the room and down to the van where Rosalie and Emmett are equipping themselves.

The amount of equipment on Emmett's vest has quadrupled; he has everything from C4 to what look like throwing stars.

"We're assaulting the base, Em, not occupying a country," Alice chides, Emmett's face falls.

"I just get excitable as to choice, Ali, you know I like to keep my options open." He reasons. Alice shakes her head.

"You're the one that's going to be carrying all that crap, so do what you want, if you throw out your back from the unnecessarily large load, Jasper gets to decide whether or not to help you." Emmett grins broadly.

"Jasper loves me, Ali, he can't keep his eyes off my big shiny muscles. If he doesn't want to help, I'll make him an offer he can't refuse." He leers at Jasper suggestively, and Jasper fake-retches. Alice starts to make another comment, but Rosalie cuts her off, "We need to move, Alice, everyone else is in position, and Jake is ready on the inside. Quit acting like kids with a sugar rush and let's go."

We clamber into the van dutifully and Rosalie guns it, every moment bringing us closer to the Volturi, and to my freedom.

Sobered by the task at hand, Alice and Emmett behave. Each go to check their gear, as does Jasper, and I wait patiently for us to arrive. A cool knot forms in my stomach by the time we reach the building adjoining the Volturi HQ twenty minutes later. Several people greet Jasper warmly, including a blond who lingers longer than necessary when he embraces my man. I swear he also inhaled Jasper's scent, and I clench my fists. Alice assembles her troops and begins giving out assignments, a tiny general in front of her forces. Nobody questions their assignment, and after another fifteen minutes, they disperse to their various posts.

It takes almost an hour of coordination to get everyone in their positions. We've got teams covering every exit, as well as a team of 14 (including Jasper and me) that will be the main assault force. They'll sweep through the major areas in groups of 4 and subdue whatever Volturi they see. The knot in my stomach clenches when I think about this op. I'm setting myself against the Volturi, they'll know. They're killers.

I shake off the sick feeling of dread for the lives of these men and women and grab Jasper's bag in one hand, hauling it so that he can use his rifle if necessary. We make our way through the sub-level to a hidden passage set into the concrete wall and cleverly concealed. I'm quietly relieved it's here. I had never been told about the passage's existence, but I overheard James telling Tanya about it once and filed it away. Between Emmett and two other men, the mechanism locking the passage door from the inside is circumvented. We file in quietly, Jasper and I in the middle of the group, since we are the least heavily armed.

We reach end of the passage and enter the Volturi base through a concealed door near James' office and the server room. Rosalie and I break for the server room immediately while Alice, Emmett, and the others establish a perimeter to keep us from being surprised by any wandering agents.

Rosalie and I reach the server room where a single technician is working. I move up behind him and grab his head in a sleeper hold, feeling him go limp in my arms a few seconds later. Rosalie binds his hands and I find the main power conduit. Rose sets up the signal jammer to keep wireless, satellite, and cell signals from escaping and I cut the line. The entire complex is plunged into total darkness.

We slip on our night-vision goggles and I lead the way back to the entrance, suddenly struck by the surreal nature of the situation. I'm infiltrating the office where I've worked for 2 years. I'm turning on the Volturi after half my life has been consumed by their greed and contempt for free will. I'm taking a stand.

We reach the group and Alice splits up the teams. She sends Rose with one toward the training area. There are computer stations there that have server access. Perhaps the local servers will have some information we can use against other cells. She tasks Emmett and his team with securing the quarters and common areas, since they will have the most agents and Emmett and his team have the best hand-to-hand fighters.

Alice and her team head to the third wing, offices of James and his lieutenants and the ops center. Jasper and I remain behind.

After 5 minutes, I hear gunfire coming from Rose's wing, I tense, but there's nothing I can do. Jasper grabs my hand and squeezes, glancing toward the area where Rose has clearly engaged the enemy. Sounds of combat grow quieter, but more frequent over the next few minutes. Jasper and I are silent. Waiting is difficult, and conversation would only give voice to our fears.

A man appears, part of Emmett's team. He's limping, and blood is pooling around his left foot every time he takes a step. Jasper rushes over to him and I bring the kit and set it beside him. I hear footsteps from the direction of James' office and retreat from Jasper, meaning to greet whatever agent is wounded from that team.

"Well if it isn't the prodigal." I come up short when I see and hear James, flanked by all three of the Denali sisters. None of them are armed, but there's 4 of them, and only 1 of me. I consider calling out to Jasper, but he's trying to repair a gunshot wound, and we'd still be outnumbered.

"I came to warn you, Sanctum is attacking," I spit out sarcastically; James glowers at me, sending a chill down my spine.

"I'd stay and take care of you myself, but Kate and Irina were just telling me how they'd like to have a go, and I'm not about to risk my own skin on a traitorous poof like you." Irina and Kate advance on me while Tanya holds back, torn between following James out of the base and helping her sisters.

I've fought 2 opponents before, but I've never done it in pitch darkness and never when someone I love was in danger only a few feet away. I sink down into a crouch, focusing on the brunette and redhead in front of me.

Kate makes the first move, lashing out with one leg. I easily dodge the kick, but Irina closes the gap between us and attempts to knee me in the stomach. I block her assault and counter with a jab to her shoulder. I feel Kate behind me, so I sidestep; sure she's going to kick at me again. Her leg brushes my thigh and I grab it in one hand. Bringing my other arm around, I pull up on her leg, causing her to lose balance and cry out in pain.

My head snaps to the side as Irina takes the opening, bashing my face with the side of her hand. She was aiming to drop me with a blow to my temple, but due to the relatively poor accuracy afforded by night-vision goggles, her aim was off. I go with the blow and continue to spin, Kate's leg still held firmly in my arms. I push down feeling her leg grind into her pelvis, she cries out and I know she's in enough pain that she won't try anything and swing her around into Irina's legs. The two of them are in a heap on the ground. I back off, not wanting to deal with both at once. Irina recovers first, and circles me, waiting for an opening. She lunges and I bat her arms to the side, grabbing her head in both hands, I pull it down and pull my knee up at the same time. The blow lands solid on her forehead and she crumples to the ground unconscious.

Kate grabs me from behind and attempts to choke me. I scrabble at her hands, but she refuses to release me. I reach behind and wrap both arms around her neck. I lean forward and pull hard. She flips over my back and lands hard on her back on the floor. Continuing with the move, I bear down, too caught up in the danger of the moment to realize what I'm doing. I feel a snap and realize her neck has broken. I scrabble away just as I hear Tanya cry out in rage. I flick my gaze to her just as she levels a handgun at me and pulls the trigger.

**A/N Not sure if I struck the balance I wanted with this chapter, I'd love to hear feedback.**


	7. How to Save a Life

**A/N: This story chapter contains graphic violence, psychological trauma, and language, don't read if you're under 18.**

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns twilight.**

**Thanks to the lovely DreamingPoet1988 for her beta skills.**

**Fic recommendation of the week:**

**Outside the Bubble – by OvertlyConcealed**

**It's a hilarious story about a very shy, phobia laden Edward and an awkwardly obsessed Jasper.**

Sanctum

Chapter 7 – How to save a life

Jpov

As we waited for the assault teams to return, I felt a prickle of sweat on the back of my neck. I had never been completely comfortable in the field. Part of the reason I joined the medical branch of Sanctum is because I demonstrated gun-shyness when field tested. I would balk about twenty percent of the time when in simulations where I was faced with a life or death decision that required me to take lethal action.

One failure in five was enough to recommend to Sanctum that I would be a risk if I were permanently assigned to a field team. I was fine with this assessment, since I was use to the work of a medic anyway. It also afforded me an excuse to avoid going into the field right up until Carlisle was wounded.

Since then, I'd been trying to train several agents to perform field medic duties so that if the need arose, I could still avoid putting myself in a situation where I might be a detriment to the team. My motives were not purely unselfish, but given that I had the potential to blow an op by being a coward I felt justified in trying to take precautions.

When Riley stumbled out of the corridor with a gunshot to the leg, I sprang into action. This I could deal with. A wounded man was an easy thing to prioritize, and I focused entirely on the matter at hand, discerning quickly that the bullet had passed through his leg cleanly and had missed all major vessels. Still, I had to stanch the bleeding, and it wouldn't hurt to disinfect and wrap the leg until I could take the time to properly stitch it. I wasn't sure how much blood Riley had lost, but he was wavering near unconsciousness, so I bound the leg as quickly as possible, then started checking the rest of his body over, making sure I hadn't missed any injuries.

I had been unaware of my surroundings for several minutes while I dealt with Riley, assuming Edward would warn me if there was trouble. I was jerked back to awareness when I heard a cry of pure rage. It was female, and it definitely wasn't Alice or Rose. I was confused for a moment. The sound came from behind me, and I rose up to a crouch, peering over the edge of an overturned table. I barely had a chance to take in the scene.

Edward was standing over two women. They looked like the two he had shot in the apartment a week ago. Both were prone, but one looked wrong. Her body was at an odd angle to her neck. I analyzed the scene rapidly, assuming that the two women had attacked Edward and he had defended himself. I felt a wave of nausea as I realized the angle was due to a broken neck. Edward had killed.

There was one additional figure, but Edward was blocking my view of her. I determined the scream had come from her. Edward was looking down at the dead woman blankly. I could almost imagine the current of thoughts that would be running through his head. I knew how he felt about killing. I had heard his story. I knew his friend and possible first love had abandoned him after killing someone. Jack had been so traumatized that he couldn't even talk to Edward and explain what was going on. I cringe inwardly at the knowledge that Edward had killed, uncertain as to his reaction. Edward raised his head to look at the woman in front of him.

The world seemed to pitch as a shard of sound rang out in the empty room. Edward slumped to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut away. I felt blood rushing in my head, I couldn't think. I stared blankly at the woman in front of me, a thin wisp of smoke curling out of the barrel of a pistol held loosely in her hand. Her face was a mask of hatred, her comically disproportioned features twisted by rage into a macabre caricature.

I couldn't take my eyes off the scene; Edward lay on the bare floor, dark liquid seeping slowly out around his body. He was motionless as a corpse. I saw the woman register my presence and a vindictive smile broke across her face. She raised her hand, pointing the pistol at me, and I squeezed the trigger.

Somewhere in the confusion and horror of the moment, I had positioned my weapon to point at her through the table. A confetti of shattered wood swirled around me as the barrier between my gun and the woman exploded. Her body jerked crazily as I continued to hold the trigger down. Ice flooded my veins as I watched her slump against the wall, leaving a bloody stain as her mangled corpse sank to the ground, face still frozen in her last expression of surprise and pain. The gun thudded against my chest as I released it. I heard boots running toward me and at once, Alice and Rosalie were in the room.

Rosalie gasped at the scene and moved to Edward, kneeling over his body. I turned away, unable to watch my worst nightmare unfold in front of me. I felt a hand on my shoulder, Alice. My vision blurred as hot tears splashed against the lenses of my goggles. I tore them off and threw them against the ground, hearing a dull crunch as the lenses shattered against concrete.

I felt numb; the only part of my entire body that I was aware of was the frantic beat of my heart as it tore in two. I struggled to breathe, completely coming undone until I heard Rose.

"He's alive, but he's bleeding out. Jasper, I can't save him without your help."

* * *

><p>Rosalie pov<p>

"Alice, I need Jasper's bag over here, Masen is alive, but he won't stay that way if I can't stop this goddamn bleeding." I need her head in the game if I'm going to save a life. She looks up at me and nods, running to Riley and grabbing Jasper's bag. I don't know if we can keep Edward alive long enough to transport him to Sanctum, but I'm going to give it my best shot.

Jasper's hands join mine as we try to keep pressure on Edward's neck. I'm fairly certain the bullet nicked his carotid artery and I say as much to Jasper. Our hands are slick with blood as I fumble in the case for a suture. I can't do the stitch, my hands aren't steady enough. I push the forceps into Jasper's grasp, noting that he seems to be almost sleepwalking.

He seems to realize what we need to do, and he starts to feel along the wound for the tear in the vessel of Edward's neck. He grasps something in one hand and starts to stitch the rupture closed. His hands are sure and steady though his face is awash with sweat and his eyes are wide and unseeing in the darkness of the complex.

I'm not sure if our quick work will save Edward. It seems like a river of blood has already covered the ground around him. Jasper finishes the suture and I apply a bandage to Edward's neck. I wipe the hair out of my face and feel a cool wetness on my cheek, Edward's blood coats my hands. I see Jasper begin to shake and I try to comfort him as he sits back and slumps to the floor, curling into the fetal position. I can't even imagine what I would feel if I ever saw Emmett nearly killed in front of me. The room begins to fill up as the rest of Alice's and my teams join us. Emmett shows up moments later.

"Rosie, are you alright?" Emmett's concern cuts through my pensive mood and I nod, grabbing the proffered arm and pulling myself up from the floor.

"Em, Masen has been shot, he's lost a lot of blood. We need to get him out of here as soon as possible. Leave Templeton, Smith, and Black here to keep a watch on the Volturi. We're going back to Sanctum."

Emmett nods and turns to his team, Alice is trying to calm Jasper down, though I'm not sure he'll be any better than Masen if we don't get them both out of here. I grab rifles from a few other agents and use some bandages to lash them together. I make a slapdash stretcher using a couple vests and we carefully lift Masen up onto the contraption. I point to the woman who was unconscious when I arrived and instruct that she be brought along. If she's responsible for Masen, I want a go at her before anyone else.

I get a couple of the burlier members of our force to hoist Masen up while I make sure the prisoner is well bound. Alice helps Jasper to stand and holds onto him, guiding him through the dark. Emmett brings up the rear as we retreat out of the building, all our attention focused on making sure we don't lose anyone, even if they are somewhat juvenile and hugely distracting to our young doctor.

We make our way to the point of entry, and find that the one guard we'd left has been incapacitated. I see a board lying next to him and check his vitals. He has a strong pulse, and he starts to come around when I shake him gently, whoever assaulted him was clearly not intent on causing maximum damage, they were running. I radio to the perimeter teams to find out if any of them have seen traffic out of the building and get the response that none have seen foot or ground traffic, but that a helicopter took off from the roof of the building we entered from. I curse, realizing that I forgot to add the adjacent roof as a possible point of exit. Someone has slipped through our fingers, possibly killing Masen in the process.

We have to set aside all this. I call in a few agents to cover the secret exit until we're absolutely sure that no more Volturi are loose in the facility. In the meantime we reach the vans and load Masen in.

"Emmett, I need to get him to Carlisle. Jasper is in no frame of mind to operate, and we need the full medical facilities in any event. I need you to take out the Volturi covering the back entrance so that we can get in. Hopefully, with all the confusion here, they won't be able to coordinate retaliation until well after we're all safe inside." Emmett nods and gathers me up for a quick kiss, brushing the hair out of my face as he does.

"You got it, Rosie; they'll never see us coming." He motions for a couple agents to join him and heads for one of the cars.

Alice and Jasper are in the back of the van, the rest of the agents have retreated to help with the cleanup and to gather any information left behind on servers or in hard files. I hop into the driver's seat and start up the van. I pull out and drive, hopefully bringing us all toward a better conclusion than most have suffered at the hands of the Volturi.

* * *

><p>Emmett pov<p>

Edward is a cool guy. I can totally see him being Carlisle's kid. Jasper is over the moon, naturally. I'm happy for anyone to find the sort of connection Rosie and I have, so maybe it's easier for me to deal with the fact that he used to be Volturi.

After eavesdropping on some pretty deep conversation, I have come to believe that Edward has been trying to escape from the Volturi for years.

When we got back to Jasper and Edward and I saw them on the ground, I immediately assumed the worst. I've been in enough raids like this to know that the Volturi don't mind dropping us when they get the chance. The body up against one wall was little more than shredded meat, and seeing Jasper with blood covering his hands, curled up like a little kid, it wasn't hard to put the pieces together without being told.

Rosie thinks that she can save Edward, so I'll do my part. Anything to keep Jasper from going through what I experienced when I lost Will.

* * *

><p><em>8 years ago<em>

I was always a dick to my younger brother, Will. He was kinda shy and a lot awkward, and I was varsity. For all my teasing, nobody ever gave him shit. We were thick as thieves all through high school and college. When he wanted to move from the dinky little town of Nowhereville, Ca to the big city, I came along. My freelance personal training business worked just as well in LA, maybe a little better, since I was really good and knew my shit backwards and forward.

Will got a reporting job at some independent magazine, exposing the evils of the world to anyone who read that kinda thing. I started building up a clientele of mainly crappy actors who wanted to learn some stunt moves to be viable as extras in action flicks.

We were pretty cool roommates, since we both had a healthy respect for the bro code, and both knew to put a sock on the door when a lady was visiting. I thought our life was fucking perfect. I'd hang with Will most evenings, ribbing him about his many lady friends, he'd get all indignant and make some cerebral quip that would go completely over my head. I didn't mind being insulted, so long as my manliness wasn't called into question. (I'm pretty sure it wasn't. What does mendicant mean, anyway?)

When we'd been in LA for about 3 years, Will started working on some story that he said was going to make his career. He went on and on for weeks about how he was tracking down this guy and figuring out that connection. I didn't really pay attention because I didn't have a particular interest in organized crime.

Then I came home one night, and entered the apartment to find a woman strangling my brother.

I did everything I could. I knocked the woman out and tried to do CPR, but when the police and ambulances arrived, they said there was no way to save his life. I tried to explain what had been going on, but somehow Will's research was all gone: every scrap of paper, his laptop, his phone and PDA. The police thought I was delusional. I wasn't even sure what had happened.

I did what any sensible person with extensive martial arts training would do, I went vigilante on their asses.

I spent almost a month tracking down every name I could remember from Will's rants. I found 3 Volturi and treated them to the same fate my brother had suffered. It wasn't enough. I tried to escalate, breaking into the magazine's office. I was arrested for B&E and suspected vigilante activities.

Esme sprung me when she heard about Will. She offered to let me come work for Sanctum, to let me repay blood for blood. What do you think I said?

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

I know there are at least 3 teams of Volturi covering Sanctum, one for each entrance. We scoped out the place when we got back, thinking maybe there was a way of getting a signal through their equipment or taking them out with minimal risk. Alice said that if we tried, we'd likely lose the tactical advantage we had. The Volturi thought they had all but 3 of us penned up. They would never expect an assault to come on their HQ when Sanctum was under 24 hour surveillance. I grumbled a bit, but shut up, cuz Alice _knows_ shit.

I hope this is the right play. Rosie says Masen needs surgery, but we get one shot to get in, then we have to figure out a strategy to deal with these pussies on the outside.

On the bright side, the Volturi working here in Seattle aren't the cream of the crop. Their strategy is fucking pathetic. They apparently have no sense of self-preservation, judging from the piss poor job they're doing concealing themselves. If I were that sloppy, I'd want me to come kick my ass for being a slipshod little punk. Don't mind if I do.

I'm pretty sure I could take down all three of these bozos with no problem, but I'll take some backup, just in case. The apartment they're using for surveillance couldn't be more obvious or less secure. It takes me less than 10 seconds to pick the lock, and they have no idea I'm coming. I bring my gun up to bear and pull the pin out of a flash-bang. I throw the grenade in through the door and pull it to, waiting for the pop and sizzle to be over.

All three of the agents are down, which, seeing them, I feel a little bad about. Seth isn't half bad, and if I'd known he was with the team, I might have approached with a softer touch.

Seth stays on the ground, groaning and fisting his eyes. He knows what's going on, and he knows he can't help by moving around blindly. The other two are less cooperative, I grin.

The first one goes down with a little love tap, and the second appreciates my bear hugs even less than Alice. I get to the window just in time to see Rosie pulling into Sanctum. Mission accomplished. Damn I'm a fantastic hunk of awesome. I would totally slap my own ass if people didn't keep looking at me funny when I do it.

* * *

><p>Esme pov<p>

_From the ongoing personal journal of Esme Cullen_

July 28, 2011

_It's been a week, and I'm still stuck in my own home. Carlisle has been unable to penetrate the signal jamming technology in place. I hope that Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett are aware of our predicament. If we do not hear from one of the three within the next 24 hours, I'm going to have to take this situation in hand. We cannot allow the Volturi to dictate our actions, and while I hate putting my men and women into unnecessary danger, I must regain control of this city. Perhaps it is my fault. I have grown lax, I was not vigilant where Masen was concerned, he was clearly the vanguard of a larger force, and should have been dealt with immediately. _

_Jasper is not to blame, he was following Carlisle's orders, but I hope that he has not—_

An alert sounds from my computer and I swivel to face the monitor. A van kept off-site has just entered the facility with Rosalie's identification. I smile for the first time in days; one of my children, at least, is safe. If Rosalie drove into the complex, the team guarding that entrance must also have been dealt with, or so I assume. Perhaps Emmett?

I rise swiftly from my desk and walk out to ops, calling a guard to accompany me, in case of foul play. I have not seen any of the four missing agents in over 6 days, and I will not take chances. I feel that it is them. I feel that my children are all safe and sound once more. I see Alice at the end of the corridor and break into a broader stride, closing the distance as I hold my arms open. Her expression is calm, but worried. I notice her tactical gear with some trepidation. I cannot think of why she would thusly gear herself simply to return to Sanctum.

"Alice, is everyone alright? Rosalie? Emmett? Did you find Jasper?" I need answers to all these questions. She stops in front of me, and by her posture it almost seems like she is blocking my path. Perhaps my prediction was wrong.

"Tell me no one is injured. Where are Rosalie and Emmett, Alice?" I cannot keep my voice dispassionate. So much has happened in the last week, I pray Masen's escape did not end in bloodshed.

"Rose and Em are fine, Esme. We found Jasper."

"Then what could the problem possibly be?"

"Esme, I need to tell the full story." She's being evasive, but I've never known Alice to act without considering how best to approach a situation. Given my excessive rage over the past few days, I check my temper before it can escape and nod curtly.

"My office, then?" She nods and tension seeps from her body. I turn on my heel and stride purposefully back to my domain. Alice follows.

I sit across from the dark haired woman and examine her closely, looking for a clue as to what could be happening that she is trying to distance me from. I notice that one of her palms is coated with blood and I feel my fist clench. Someone is hurt, bleeding. I play idly with a pen from my desk, spinning it between my fingers.

"Tell me Masen didn't hurt Jasper," the cold feeling in the pit of my abdomen starts to work its way up my spine. Alice looks like she's trying to collect herself, "Alice, if you don't start talking, I may strangle you." I intend the comment to be flippant, but it comes out weak and strangled and entirely too serious sounding. She looks up at me with wide eyes.

"We assaulted the main base of Volturi operations just over an hour ago." I feel my entire body go rigid, no op was sanctioned, and they had no authorization or equipment. She must be joking.

"The three of you? Or was it four?" I'm not amused by her attempt at humor.

"I called up the teams that are in deep assignment, as well as our friends with the police." There's no way she knows about the deep cover teams, Carlisle doesn't even know. The records are sealed in case of a security breach. A million questions swirl through my mind, vying for priority, each seeking purchase in the forefront of my thoughts.

"We had help," Alice continues, "Jake was on the inside, and Masen…" the pen drops from my grasp, clattering loudly on the desk, causing me to jump.

"I need to start from the beginning," Alice's eyes are beseeching, pleading with me to listen before I judge. She recounts how she found Jasper and Masen in an apartment together. She tells me that Masen disabled 4 Volturi, allowing the three of them to escape. They met up with the others and planned out an assault on the Volturi main base, knowing that Sanctum would be under close surveillance and they would have the element of surprise.

They assembled teams and swept through the base. Most of the injuries were minor. Alice was rounding up some Volturi when a group evaded her and made their way to the temporary base. Jasper was tending wounded, and Masen held off the Volturi, killing one in the process. Then he was shot by a Volturi. I relax at this last piece of information; at least it wasn't one of mine. It was a Volturi.

I can tell that Alice is leaving something out. I press her for more information.

"Alice, what aren't you telling me about Masen? Did he hurt Jasper? Why did he turn on the Volturi?"

Alice avoids my gaze, "Jasper and Masen… They…"

"What happened, Alice?"

"They're… involved." Of all the possible scenarios running through my mind, that was not even considered.

"You're saying that Masen has… seduced Jasper? How did this happen, when? Is this why Jasper helped him to escape?" I feel betrayal and anger welling up inside me. I never expected something like this from Jasper.

"Esme, they're extremely close, I don't think either could have foreseen or avoided the connection they obviously have, it reminds me of you and Carlisle." I glare at her.

"Carlisle isn't a murderer, and I would never be with him if he were. Jasper knows who the Volturi are, how could he be so…"

"Human?" Alice suggests softly, "Esme, Masen claims he is not a killer, we're trying to get verification, but Jasper trusts him. I'm not sure how much they've talked about, but I get the feeling Masen is on the level. Jasper isn't being taken in by a ruse, Masen is a good man."

"No one with the last name Masen could possibly be termed _good_, Alice. You of all people know that."

"Edward isn't technically a Masen, Esme." Her voice is flat and serious. I look up at her, surprised.

"What are you talking about?"

"You need to know, Edward took a bullet protecting Jasper, he's the only reason we knew how to assault the Volturi base. He gave us financials on all their Seattle ops for the past 2 years. He's on our side, Esme." Alice is no fool. I think for a moment, considering my options.

"If he isn't a Masen, then what is he, Alice?" She must have a reason for that comment, I want to believe she has not been fooled by one of Victoria's spawn, and perhaps there is a chance that Masen...

"It's not my place, Esme; you need to meet him for yourself."

* * *

><p>Carlisle pov<p>

"Tell her I'll meet them there." Carlisle spoke into the radio, breaking into a shambling trot while he weaved through the corridor. His white coat fluttered in the draft he created as he moved steadily toward Medical.

Rosalie was back, and needed him urgently. That couldn't be good. Where was Jasper? Why had they returned without him?

Over the past week, Carlisle had been trying to keep peace. Tempers were fraying all over base as people edged toward manic in their desire to confront the Volturi guarding each point of egress. Esme had maintained the cold front in response to his deception concerning Masen and Jasper. Carlisle was sad, but did not regret his actions, as they had undoubtedly saved at least one life.

He considered the different situations that could lead to both Rosalie's return, and an urgent need of his skills as a physician. He was at a loss to come up with anything rational that didn't trace back to Masen overpowering Jasper. He quickened his pace.

If anything happened to Jasper, he would never forgive himself. It was an act of desperation to send the young man out into the field with a possibly homicidal Volturi, but Carlisle thought the precautions taken would be sufficient.

Carlisle remembered the first time he'd met Jasper.

* * *

><p><em>3 years 9 months ago<em>

"Jasper, this is my husband, Carlisle Cullen. He has been holding down the fort in our Medical Bay since we lost our doctor several months ago." Carlisle looked up from his workstation in the lab and saw a young man, no more than twenty, standing with Esme. The man had a quiet calm about him that drew Carlisle in.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Jasper's voice held a strong thread of southern accent. He held out a hand to Carlisle and the older man felt calluses on Jasper's palms, evidently from hard labor throughout his life. Carlisle grasped the hand in both of his, spreading the long thin fingers and examining the strength and dexterity of the younger man's hand.

"You have good hands; I trust you have some experience with medicine? Taking my wife's description of me as a cue, I would guess you are a new recruit interested in helping out with our medical needs?" Jasper nodded, Carlisle smiled broadly, "I'd be happy of the help, I'm rather overwhelmed, what with my other duties here on base. It will be nice to be able to foist off all the heavy lifting onto your young shoulders." He inflected his voice to tease the younger man and Jasper grinned in response.

"I don't know about that, Mr. Cullen, I think I'm goin' ta have to observe your technique fo' a few months before I attempt anythin' complex like medicine," his accent was suddenly much thicker and he spoke slowly, as if encumbered by a preponderance of thought. Carlisle laughed delightedly at the rebuttal.

"Call me Carlisle, son, I think we're going to get along just fine."

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

Carlisle halted before Medical, noting that he had arrived before Rose and her mysterious patient. Carlisle prayed that it wouldn't be Jasper. He didn't know if he could be impartial where the young doctor was concerned. Jasper was closer to a son to him than anyone he had ever worked with. In many ways it was because of how similar the two were. Jasper had Carlisle's insatiable curiosity, his compassion, and his abhorrence of violence. Jasper was also strong, his introverted youth had built a thick emotional shell that Carlisle had yet to see anyone make a real attempt to breach, not that there hadn't been interest, but it just seemed to come from all the wrong people. Carlisle remembered Jasper's first impressions upon learning that he was attracted to other boys, and his heart ached. It was Carlisle who had convinced Jasper to visit his mother, open up to her.

Hearing a noise from the hall, Carlisle turned to the door pensively. He saw Rose first, forehead smeared with blood, hair matted with sweat. She was far from the most put together Carlisle had seen her, and her face was grim. He saw Jasper following after, pushing the other end of the stretcher. Carlisle couldn't tell who was on the stretcher, but when he saw Jasper upright, he was immediately relieved.

Carlisle examined Jasper through the glass and his relief drained away as he took in the full appearance of the younger man. Jasper was in black, but the entire right side of his arm and chest were a shade darker, as if wet with something. Both Jasper's hands and face were smeared with copious amounts of blood, but what concerned Carlisle the most was the vacant expression on Jasper's face. He looked like a corpse that just hadn't lain down yet.

"Rosalie, what's happened to Jasper?" Carlisle demanded as soon as the two entered the room with the gurney. Rose glanced at Jasper for a moment.

"He isn't the problem right now, Carlisle, Masen might be dying. He's been shot in the neck, and I'm not sure how serious the blood loss is, but his carotid was punctured, and he wasn't stitched for at least a minute or two." Carlisle looked down at the face of the man on the table for a moment, his neck was bandaged, and the bleeding seemed to be stopped, judging by the cleanness of the linen. Carlisle snapped into action.

"Blood type?" he queried, Rose shook her head.

"We don't know, you have to run it."

Carlisle cursed and pulled out a typing kit, every moment lost was a problem.

"Hang a unit of O negative, when we get his full type, we can switch it out, but he's probably lost a full liter, he needs fluids as well, a banana bag, and a unit of plasma." Carlisle flipped the small case open and then looked up at Rosalie, "all the blood is Masen's?" he asked, she nodded confirmation, attaching IVs and running her hands along the tubes, making sure there were no bubbles or kinks before she inserted the needles into Masen's arms.

Carlisle swiftly dabbed small amounts of blood into each depression. Then he set aside the tray and returned to the patient. He gingerly removed the bandage from Masen's neck and hissed when he saw the angry burn surrounding the torn flesh. He felt along the wound experimentally, eyebrows shooting up when he encountered the tiny perfect stitches, "You sutured the wound, Rose? This is excellent work." Rosalie shook her head and gestured to Jasper.

"He did it… by touch, and he's been in this state since before we started treating Ed-Masen." Carlisle studied Rosalie's face when he heard her slip and almost call this man by his first name. Much had transpired over the last 6 days, of that Carlisle was certain. He was completely floored by the fact that Jasper could accomplish something in his current vacant state.

"Why would Jasper work by touch, what happened to him?"

"We were in complete darkness, Jasper was desperate, I think."

"Who shot him, not Jasper… was it Alice? Emmett? You?" Rosalie shook her head again.

"It was a Volturi agent, it happened during our takedown of Volturi HQ."

If Carlisle hadn't had so much on his mind, he might have had to sit down. As it was, he was almost inclined to think that Rosalie was joking. Her face was completely serious, so he didn't question her further.

Turning his attention from the wound on Masen's neck, he started to work over the rest of the body, checking swiftly for other obvious wounds. Then he checked Masen's vitals. He opened Masen's eye to check pupil reactivity, and suddenly he felt as if someone were walking on his grave.

"Alastair," he whispered. The man on the table was the spitting image of Carlisle's brother. The unruly hair (though the wrong color), the same cheekbones, lips, nose, his eyes looked like Esme's, and he was in his early twenties. A thought buzzed around Carlisle's mind, solidifying into one of the bleakest notions he'd ever had, "It's not possible." He whispered quietly as the pen light fell from his bloodless fingers, "He was stillborn, Masen…" Carlisle sat heavily in the chair behind him. Rosalie walked around the table to stand by Carlisle.

"Alice told us, I should have warned you, but I didn't know what to say. He and Jasper are together. I think he took the bullet to protect Jasper." Carlisle was faced with too much information, he needed space… he needed Esme.

* * *

><p>Alice pov<p>

I watched Esme absorb all the information I was willing to give her. Just as I sensed she was about to unleash another barrage of questions, her radio crackled and I heard Carlisle's voice, urgent and stricken, he _needed_ Esme in the Medical Bay _immediately_.

_Well, I'm glad I don't have to tell her_.

I was morbidly curious to know what everyone was thinking, I'd always had a weakness for secrets, their turnings and unfoldings, but this one had the potential to destroy Esme. I didn't relish the telling of it and gladly avoided saying anything, but I couldn't stand by and simply watch, I had to be there for her.

She threw an overly suspicious look in my direction. I wasn't surprised. Esme knows me better than anyone. Sometimes I think she knows me better than I know myself. She knew I was holding back, and I sensed that she suspected I was involved in Carlisle's urgent summons. She was right, of course, but now was not the time to reveal what she would learn all-to-soon regardless.

I had just revealed to her that we had virtually crippled Volturi activities. Emmett was rolling up the details that had us trapped in our own home. We had lists of Volturi operations that could be acted on. All in all, it should have been a good day, but then there was Edward… and his Jasper.

I felt a craving to see Garrett and hold him, just to reassure myself that he was well. I couldn't bear the thought of what would happen to Jasper if Edward were to die. I couldn't even begin to imagine what might happen if the Volturi took Garrett from me. I knew Jasper was in a dark place, and I was accompanying Esme partly to see him. Perhaps if Edward's prognosis had been established, I could get him to snap out of the eerie trance he seemed to be in.

I wasn't completely blind either. I knew it wasn't all about Edward, but that was the most important part. Jasper would deal with the metaphorical blood on his hands in time, but the literal blood was the first problem we would have to help him through.

Suddenly, and all too soon, we were at the Medical Bay. I followed Esme into the clean room, ready to catch her if and when the shock overtook her.

I was extremely grateful that Rosalie was sponging away the last of the blood. Edward had been cut out of his combat dress and garbed in clean scrubs. His face was pristine and looked more innocent in the bright light of the Medical Bay.

The only sign that he was close to death was his unhealthy pallor and the bandage on his neck. His bronze hair was in its perpetual state of disarray, but as Carlisle's hands gently carded the locks, the unruly mop made him look like a small child. Carlisle looked up at Esme with shining eyes.

I felt the tension in the room as Esme took in the scene. She stiffened when she saw Carlisle's proximity to Masen. I also felt the almost imperceptible shift, the hushed intake of breath as a mother recognized her son.

I admit, I expected her to faint. There I was with arms waiting to gather up her dead weight. I was even a little disappointed when the dramatic scene I'd played through in my mind didn't happen (though I was happy Esme seemed to be taking it so well.) Jasper sat to the side, silent and vacant as when I'd last seen him. Rose stepped back from the bed.

I heard a small strangled cry as Esme dove for the prone form and gathered Edward's limp body in an embrace, sobbing brokenly. Carlisle reached out to her, silent and comforting. His touch soothed her as he stroked her graying auburn hair gently. I paused, not wanting to intrude. Rose came to me and we left the room together.

I knew soon, Esme would want a full account. I hoped that by that time we could get the rest of the team sorted. Just then, I heard the familiar ring of Rosalie's phone, it was playing _Sexy Thing_. Emmett was calling. She retreated to a corner for a moment; I heard her murmur into the phone, no doubt confirming that Emmett was unhurt. I waited patiently, debating whether to call Garrett or find him in person when I had finished dealing with the aftermath of all this excitement. I decided I wanted to see him in person after going so long without his lovin'.

Rose came back to me as she hung up the phone. I cocked an eyebrow and she gave me the thumbs up. Emmett had obviously taken care of the jammers, as well as all three teams, "Seth is coming back to us, he was in one of the teams. Em figured it would be alright, seeing as we just started the wrap up."

I nodded absently, "Edward?" I questioned, "is he…"

"He'll recover," Rose said happily, "Carlisle said he might take a few hours to wake up, but he'll be back on his feet after a few days." I was relieved to hear it; maybe Jasper would be responsive now. I chomped at the bit, wanting to return to Jasper and relay the hopeful news. I waited instead; I wouldn't intrude on Carlisle and Esme's reunion with their son. This was without a doubt the greatest thing that could have happened to Esme. Without any useful stress to keep me filled with adrenaline (since I couldn't help Jasper until I could get to him, stressing about that was pointless), I quickly crashed. Waiting for the family moment to end was actually kind of boring.

It took almost an hour for Esme and Carlisle to finish their soft discussion. In the meantime, Emmett called again to reassure Rose that he was back on base, and she left to reunite with him. When Esme came out of the Medical Bay she hugged me, silently forgiving me for keeping this from her. Then she asked me to help Carlisle see to Jasper and I sprang from my chair, intent on trying to bring around the traumatized man.

We tried to talk Jasper out of his daze, but to no avail. He simply sat, staring at Edward, completely unresponsive to our attempts to get through to him. Carlisle was at a loss to explain what was wrong, and I had no brilliant ideas (well... none that applied to this particular situation). After about twenty minutes of attempting to rouse Jasper, we gave up. He allowed us to strip him out of his vest and replace his cargo pants with cotton sleep pants. Carlisle said it might be best if Jasper rested, but he would not let us push him back on the bed. Carlisle suggested that we might have better luck if Jasper could see Edward while he lay down. We moved the bed up beside Edward's and Jasper calmed down, allowing us to position him on his side.

As Carlisle drew the sheet up around Jasper's arms, I saw the blond reach out and grasp one of Edward's hands, squeezing gently. A tear slid down his cheek and I looked away. I felt like I had interrupted a private moment. Carlisle cleared his throat.

"I'll call you if there's any change, Alice, I know you want to see Garrett." My throat constricted slightly as I nodded.

"Thanks Carlisle." I walked swiftly out of the Medical Bay toward my quarters.

* * *

><p>Jasper pov<p>

This couldn't be happening again. Everything I touch withers and dies. First Charlie and now Edward. Why didn't I give Edward the rifle? Why didn't he call out to me?

The scene flashes before my eyes every few seconds. Each time I see it, I try vainly to save Edward, but nothing ever works. I'm stuck in the same pattern of failure. The blood. It was everywhere, and each time I relive the moment, I see the dark liquid, spreading out under Edward. I feel it on my hands as I try to save him, but it's no use. Each time the result is the same. He doesn't move.

I was vaguely aware of motion. I walked toward an unknown destination, not even sure who was guiding me. Was I dead as well? The sudden brightness seared through my head, but the pain was nothing compared to the guilt and horror I felt about Edward. I reveled in the torture, penance for my mistakes. A small hand (a child?) held my own. I saw Edward slump to the ground once more, felt his blood on my hands.

We drove, the familiar sounds of the van muted under the heavy veil of my memories. Would anyone else have been able to save Edward? Would anyone else have tried? I realize with a sick irony that I understand Esme now. The Volturi must pay.

We came to a stop and once again I was herded along. A voice penetrated my stupor, promising Edward had a chance if I assisted. I pushed numbly, if there was a chance… I felt the tension of the trigger, the splinters of wood pelting my face. I saw the look of surprise on her face, the face of Edward's killer.

A door whooshed open, and I recognized the sound, this was my home. I saw familiar hands on Edward's neck, Carlisle would save him. I heard a gibberish of exchanged conversation as the hands retreated for a moment, then returned to gather blood. I realized they didn't know his type. I knew his type; it would be B negative, just like Carlisle and Esme. I opened my mouth and tried to speak, but no sound came out. I felt the tears trace their tracks down the bridge of my nose; saw them splash on the green lenses, blurring my vision further.

They were cleaning off his face. They removed the vestiges of blood and cut his clothes away. They clad his unmoving body in scrubs, as if the clothes alone would save him. I wanted to turn away, but I couldn't, perhaps his eyes would open if I just held on long enough. Could you save a life through willpower? I smelled the blood as I lay beside Edward, pleading silently for anyone to save him. My side was drenched in his blood, but it didn't matter, nothing but him mattered. I loved him.

I realized the depth of my emotion, and suddenly everything snapped into place. Edward was the one person I'd ever connected with so fully. I loved him more than my own life. I would give up anything to save him. He'd been killed by my love. Just like Charlie.

* * *

><p><em>4 years ago<em>

Charlie sat across from me, considering his next move. It wasn't the game I enjoyed so much as Charlie's company. Checkers was never really my thing.

"So, Jasper, have you given any more thought to my offer?" he asked, shrewd eyes watching me as I squirmed. Over the last few weeks, Charlie had been pushing me to date Bella. I wasn't sure why it mattered so much after 2 years, but I sensed he was trying to force some sort of clear answer from me. I wanted to tell him the truth, the real reason why I hadn't been dating anyone. He made his move, taking two of my pieces. I sighed as I kinged yet another of his chips.

"I don't have time for a—"

"Jasper, I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but I think we both know that's a load. Your supervisors tell me that the only way you could be advancing so quickly is if you were working yourself half to death at home, reading medical texts and such." I held his gaze and nodded.

"Like I said, no time."

Charlie sighed, "Life isn't all about work, Jasper. I keep hoping you'll find someone that shows you how completely meaningless work truly is in the grand scheme. Have you even thought about trying to find that person?" His look was still probing. I was tempted to simply tell him the truth. He obviously wouldn't have a problem. Everyone in the office knew that Riley and Ben were together, and nobody batted an eye. Maybe I was just freaked because I was young. I knew I'd never have money for college, so I was focusing on my career. A relationship would only distract me. I was a coward.

Mike came over to Charlie's desk and leaned against it. He was so close to me that I could feel the heat of his body. He smiled, "Hey, Jasper," he said cheerfully, "A couple of us are going out to get drinks tonight, do you want to tag along?"

I chuckled weakly, "Underage," I said, pointing to myself, he grinned.

"Club soda," he retorted. I faked retching and Charlie laughed out loud. I'm sure both of them knew that I had a fake ID, they were detectives, after all. Mike grinned good-naturedly.

"Just… remember, the offer is always good." He rested a hand on my shoulder for a moment longer than was technically appropriate, then stood and walked away, ears tinged with pink. Charlie quirked an eyebrow at me and I muttered something about work, blushing a bit as I stood. I wasn't sure if Mike was coming on to me, or if Charlie was trying to get me to confess, but suddenly he seemed to know way too much. I wasn't ready, I loved him like a father, but I couldn't tell him. What if I was wrong? What if he hated me? What if he thought I was leading Bella on?

He grabbed my hand as I turned to leave, "Jasper… think about what I said," he said gently, "I don't care if Bella isn't the one for you, but… look for that person. Work might be satisfying, but love is nourishing. I wouldn't give my time with Renee for anything in the world," He glanced at the picture of his wife. I knew she had passed away ten years prior, but he never spoke of her with bitterness, "Love gave me Bella, and the thought of being reunited with Renee someday keeps me going when I'm sure I can't carry on." He squeezed my hand, then rose and pulled me into an embrace.

"Don't deny any part of you, son. You need to put yourself out there, live life to the fullest."

My mouth went dry and my eyes prickled as I wrapped my arms around the man and hugged him tightly, "Thanks Charlie, I…" I couldn't tell him here, "Could we get dinner sometime, maybe tomorrow? I want to talk with you… outside of work." Charlie nodded, smiling as he released me.

"Of course, Jasper anytime is fine." He stepped back and cleared his throat, "Now, I have a takedown to prepare for, and I'm sure you have some work waiting for you, so I'll let you get back to it. We'll talk soon."

I nodded and turned to leave, and then I paused and turned back, "Could you tell Mike I'll meet him and the boys up here when you guys knock off for the day?" Charlie nodded his assent.

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

Had I retained the ability to make any noise, I'm sure I would have screamed at the similarities between the two days. The last conversation with Charlie had been so full of hope. I had been so close to telling him what he meant to me, and as a result, he'd died. I watched in silence, tears slipping down my cheeks as I watched Edward's body for any sign of movement. I couldn't tell if his chest was rising with breath, as far away as I was. I couldn't bear to watch him any longer. I closed my eyes and remembered happier things, the way he felt in my arms when we'd slept side by side, the comfort of waking up with him in the morning, seeing his face, his eyes glowing as we shared an intimate glance.

I felt my breath catch once more when I remembered our first kiss, the fire that consumed my fear, replacing it with shimmering rapture. I remembered the feel of his skin, the taste. I remembered the sounds he made under my touch. I remembered, and for a moment, the pain was bearable. I would keep him alive, I had been part of him, and he would ever be part of me.

I don't know how long I thought of him, but when I came to, it was Alice's face in front of me. She looked worried. I couldn't focus on her long enough to grasp what she was saying, I had to see Edward. My gaze locked onto him, and I just stared, willing him to move, open his eyes, smile.

I let Alice and Carlisle strip me down to my t-shirt and boxer-briefs. I remembered Edward bringing back underwear, unsure what I would wear. I knew he would be wearing a pair of the briefs he had bought. The thought was painful, so I ignored it. Carlisle pulled a pair of pants up my legs and tied them around my waist. I sat back down on the bed, eyes not leaving Edward.

Alice tried to push me back and I struggled, I could not let Edward go without absorbing every moment I could of his perfect face, peaceful in silence. They moved me to the bed next to Edward, and I let them push me down onto the bed, facing the beautiful man I loved. One of his hands was in reach, and I grabbed it.

I couldn't tell if I was hallucinating, remembering, or if his hand truly was warm in mine, but I held on to the tenuous connection. I succumbed to the stress and fear of the day and slipped into sleep, dreams filled with Edward filled my slumber, and for a moment, he was with me again.

* * *

><p><em>6 hours later<em>

An urgent hand on my shoulder pulled me into wakefulness, separating me from Edward in the process. I saw Carlisle's face in front of mine.

"Esme is on her way, but I wanted to give you two a moment first." Why would I need a moment with Esme? I wondered silently, and then I felt a hand squeeze mine and Carlisle moved out of my line of sight.

I saw the most beautiful thing I could have imagined; Edward was watching me with concern in his emerald eyes. He squeezed my hand again.

"Good morning, sunshine," he rasped gently. I uttered my first sound since I'd seen him on the ground, it was somewhere between a sob and a laugh. Relief flooded me, and I moved of my own volition, pushing away from my bed to get closer to my love. Edward saw what I was aiming for and wiggled faintly, trying to move himself to the side of the bed.

"Sorry, love, you'll have to help me, Carlisle says I'll be weak for awhile." I would do anything. I slipped my hands gently under his form, relishing the closeness, and moved him over several inches. I set him down and he wrapped his free arm around me as I hopped up onto the bed. He pulled me close and I buried my face into his shoulder, inhaling deeply.

"I th-thought you were d-dead," I quaked with emotion, wrapping my arms around him and holding him tightly. I felt his lips curve into a smile against the top of my head.

"Apparently someone performed surgery on me and saved my life," he said quietly. He continued to hold me close while I nestled into his side. I was mindful of the IVs and the bandage on his neck, but he seemed to be fine otherwise. Everything else was forgotten as I held him in my arms, hoping against hope that I wouldn't wake up to find it a dream.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"I…" I swallowed hard from nerves. I tilted my head up so I could see his face. I needed to see his reaction, "I love you."

**A/N: This chapter is short for pacing. I wanted to end it on a hopeful note, and if it went much further, they would have to deal with Esme's post-euphoric ire and some traumatic repercussions from the fact that they both killed people. I also wanted to keep their interactions pure, and they'll be naughty next chapter, so… :D**

**Leave a review and let me know what you think, hearing back from you is my greatest inspiration.**


	8. Eye of the Storm

**A/N: This story is rated M, along with all that entails.**

**Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight and its characters**

**This story is beta'd by the lovely DreamingPoet1988**

Sanctum

Chapter 8 – Eye of the Storm

Epov

I open my eyes to the pleasant surprise that I'm not blinded by bright lights. My head pounds anyway, which is typical. I've been either blind or in pain for the whole day. It's dark in this room and I think I recognize the beds. I definitely recognize the man across from me. He's safe, but he looks like shit. His eyes have dark circles like he's been staying up all night, I wonder how long I've been unconscious. Even looking half-dead, he's still beautiful. I feel a warm hand in mine and look down at my bed. I rub my thumb over his hand and he squeezes back, still asleep. I look back to the rest of the room. I think I've been here before, though I was vertical and drugged. We're back in Sanctum.

I experimentally wiggle my hands and feet, I don't seem to be bound, which is an improvement. I'm definitely alive, bruises don't hurt when you're dead… at least I hope they don't. I remember Tanya with a gun. I try to turn my head over to look on the other side, but as I attempt to lift my head it feels like it's going to split open. I stop trying to turn my head over. I try to lift an arm to feel it, but the only one that is free has tubes running into it… as in, multiple fucking tubes. One is blood, and there're two more. It could be worse. I could have been awake for the huge fucking needles I assume were involved. First Jasper shoots me with the knockout pill and now IVs… I don't really like Sanctum's medical services.

The sound of tubes shifting rouses someone who pushes a rolling chair around behind me. I'm not sure who it is, but I really hope that it's Alice or Emmett; maybe even Blondie would be alright. I know it's not Jasper, because my man is in front of me, holding the hand that doesn't have all the tubes. He's asleep, but like I said, he looks god-awful.

Whoever it is comes around the bed between me and Jasper. I look up and see myself, but it's not anything like me. Eerie resemblance though. This must be my father. He has most of my face, but his eyes are blue and his hair is kind of creepy. It's light blond and all combed straight back. He looks like he's going for mobster-chic. I don't judge though. I try to ask what's going on, but my throat burns with thirst. It fucking feels like a desert. My breath rasps between my lips and I make a sickened groaning sound. He holds a finger to his lips and motions to Jasper. I try to nod understanding, but my head doesn't move. I opt to raise the hand with the tubes in it and give thumbs up, even though it fucking hurts. The pain in my hand distracts me from my horribly dry throat until I let it fall back to the bed. The burn returns and I work my jaw, trying to show swallowing motion without straining my mouth too much. My neck starts to burn, and I realize why I can't move my head. My neck is in a bandage, and every time I shift anything above my chest, it throbs worse and worse. I thought the headache was the big problem. Now I realize everything that hurts is because of my neck.

He, Carlisle if I remember the name correctly, figures out what I want, probably because he's a doctor and knows my neck is fucked up. He's also sort of my dad, I guess. I'm not sure how I feel about that, since Frank Masen was a horrible person. I'm also not really looking forward to meeting my other mom. Apparently my moms want to kill each other, and I'm in the middle.

Carlisle returns with a glass of something wet. I don't really care what it is as long as it takes away the burning. He sets the cup to the side of my mouth and tilts it up, letting a small amount of liquid spill into my waiting mouth. I catch it all. I'm proud that I don't spill any. I can still drink, people. Less tubes for patient Masen, er… Cullen?… fuck it, call me Edward.

I close my lips and work my tongue to tease the liquid back to my throat. I vaguely register the taste, it's orange juice. I like orange—motherfucker! It stings! I must be hooked to a heart monitor because suddenly it's going crazy. Carlisle's eyes widen.

"I'm so sorry!" he exclaims quietly, silencing the machine, "You must have a nick in your throat. You were shot in the neck. I didn't even think…" He trails off, looking embarrassed. Jasper would have noticed. I flick my gaze to him, and then look at Carlisle questioningly. He flushes a little and glances at our joined hands.

"He's been nearly catatonic since they brought you back. I'm not sure what's wrong, but he won't talk to anyone. He just sat and watched you for hours; I don't think I even saw him blink. He fell asleep almost four hours ago." I know I look afraid, because Carlisle rests a hand on my chest.

"I'm hoping he'll come around when he sees you're fine. I think he might have been traumatized by what happened to you, or what he did as a result. I'm relatively confident his mind is intact, though. He's the one that stitched your neck wound up. If he hadn't sutured the artery, you would have bled out in a matter of minutes. He saved your life."

What did he do as a result of me getting hurt? Did he get traumatized by stitching me up? Did I do this to Jasper? I want to ask questions, but my throat is still painfully dry. I try talking.

"Waaa-er" I croak out. He moves away quickly.

"Water, of course, I completely forgot." He returns with another cup, repeating the process of tipping some into my mouth. It still stings a bit, but not nearly as much. I work my mouth to request more. I drink down the entire glass sip by sip and my throat starts to ease.

As I'm drinking, I try to decide what question I need an answer to first. What should I ask? Will he answer my questions? Is he really my father? Did he know? Why didn't they find me? Didn't they recognize me when they captured me? Is Jasper going to recover? Did James get away? Did Kate survive? I know the answer. I killed her. I spent 10 years trying to get away from the Volturi so I wouldn't have to kill, and six days after I manage it, I take a life. I hated Kate, and somehow that makes it more repulsive. My hatred has manifested as evil. I took a life, and I wasn't sorry. I didn't even stop to think for a moment. I just killed her.

Carlisle clears his throat, "I'm sure you have questions. Esme, my wife, came to visit you while you were unconscious. You are our son." I already knew this, but his depth of feeling reassures me that it is, indeed, true, "Twenty two years and 5 months ago, Esme was kidnapped. She was over 7 months pregnant. She was held for ransom against my political support of Volturi parliamentarians. While she was in captivity, she went into labor. I'm not sure how, but the Volturi convinced her that you were stillborn. She was rescued a short time later, and the team recovered an infant corpse. Believe me, we had no idea that you survived. We would have—" his voice breaks and he closes his eyes, "We would have searched to the ends of the earth if we had _any _idea."

His voice is warm and reassuring. This guy could be my father. I spent 22 years with an evil family; I'm not sure how to deal. I don't blame Carlisle and Esme. I don't even know them. I'm sure they're good people if Jasper likes them. They'll hate me if they find out I killed someone. Jasper will probably hate me for killing someone.

I feel an icy dread settle over my entire body as I remember the feel of Kate's dead weight. I heard the sickening crunch as her neck snapped. I try to remember what I was thinking at the time. Why did I kill her? All I can remember is fear. I was afraid.

I remember thinking that it was odd Alice had finished her sweep so quickly. When I saw James, I'd remembered receiving the order to assault Sanctum. He was so angry, I was sure he would kill me, but he virtually ignored me, leaving the Denalis to clean up his mess. Typical. I'd been faced with the three women, all with various degrees of hatred and malice on their faces.

Kate and Irina were the most volatile. I knew it was because I had already fooled them once. I was now betraying them a second time. I remember knocking Irina out, hopeful that it would be the end of the conflict, but then Kate grabbed me from behind.

* * *

><p><em>1 year, 7 months ago<em>

I cross the room swiftly, trying to avoid attention. In the five months since I've arrived, I've been sexually assaulted 17 times. Each of the Denali sisters seems intent on snaring me. I'm not sure if there's a bet amongst the sisters, or if the general pool is the only place where money is changing hands, but I fervently wish for them to get transferred soon.

I don't really want James involved, partly because I don't respect him as a commanding officer. The greatest reason, though, is that I'm not entirely sure he isn't also trying to suggest some sort of twisted tryst.

I reach my quarters and sigh in relief. I've managed to avoid them once more. I can't stand the thought of their fake nails trailing up my skin, or their fake breasts pressed against _any_ part of me. The only place I'm ever completely safe is my own room, with its lovely keypad lock that I can re-key any time I want. I look around the small bunk area and I'm struck by its drabness, though not for the first time.

I didn't accumulate many possessions when I was in London. There was the odd book that I'd find lying around the Masen communal space. One or two I actually liked, and squirreled away. I left everything behind when I moved to Seattle. I'm not sure Victoria would have let me take anything with me if I'd wanted to, but I didn't want to. After 8 years spent with some of the most corrupt and horrible people in existence, I didn't need any reminders.

I've never had the chance to accumulate possessions here. I have access to clothing stores over the internet and that's about it. I could break through the pansy-ass firewall that they maintain to keep us from ordering items from unsanctioned sites, but what's the point? It's not like I ever leave base to have an opportunity to pick up contraband, and the only approved sites label their boxes clearly, so e-bay isn't an option either. I don't really care. I have no life.

I sit on my bed and stare at the wall for awhile. I consider punching it, maybe I'd make a hole, or at the very least skin a knuckle and leave some bloodstains. Pretty much anything would be an improvement over the horrible taupe color. I lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling. Maybe if I had some gummy bears, I could lick them and get them to stick up there. I could make a gummy bear equivalent of a Jackson Pollack.

I turn over and bury my face in my pillow. It smells like me. I even smell boring.

After a few hours and several knocks on my door, none of which I answer, I finally drift off to sleep. I dream of taupe walls and gummy bears.

I wake up and it's another riveting day. I shower and shave, since there's no reason to rush. I consider growing a beard. If it happens to be one of those scraggly ones, maybe it will repel the Denali sisters. I also consider shaving my head, but I'm not willing to look like I've been lobotomized or need pity because of my chemo. I pull on a pair of slacks and purposely match them with a clashing shirt and sweater vest. I tried replacing my previous wardrobe with clothes the most outmoded professor would wear, but the girls didn't seem to mind. Maybe I should go back to t-shirts and leather jackets. No need to emphasize the boredom I feel.

I spray on some perfume that I found lying around; maybe the girls will all get jealous and turn on each other. Maybe James will turn on the girls and transfer them away. I can only hope. I go to the cafeteria and eat oatmeal; I try to imagine a world where oatmeal is the culinary equivalent of caviar. My imagination fails me.

I go to the training ground, mainly because James makes me. I still beat everyone at hand-to-hand, but my field awareness tests suffer because I couldn't care less. I have a deal, I don't do field work. I don't kill people. I rock out the hacking skills, mainly for the momentary joy of playing a mindless game on a site that's normally blocked. I get in about half an hour of killing castles with a catapult before the half hour exercise ends.

It's a slow day, financially speaking, only the usual payments come in; there aren't any financial blips to marginally grasp my attention for even the briefest moment. Maybe I should break through the firewall and download gay porn to James' laptop, then send an internal memo to London. I wonder if I could subscribe to fat camp promos for Tanya, she's always freaking out that she weighs five ounces more than anorexic. I wonder absently why she augmented her breasts. They must weight like… ten pounds.

I backup my remote records and sign off for the day without carrying through on any of my delightfully petty fantasies. It just isn't worth the effort. I'd probably get in trouble, and I get more attention than I want even without provoking anyone. Time for my daily dash past the Denalis. I reach the gap between one hallway and another and glance out across it. I'm about to make a break for it when I feel four hands grab my arms. My eyes widen in panic, as I realize it must be the sisters. I have no time to struggle free because just as I'm taking a breath to settle myself for combat, someone slips some sort of ether-smelling cloth over my face. The world goes fuzzy.

I wake up and there's something warm on my flaccid cock. I recognize the sickening cloud of perfume and open my eyes. I'm tied to a chair, how original. Kate is trying to pleasure me, to no effect. My body even has good taste when I'm unconscious. I hear what I imagine is supposed to be a sultry voice, "We can make you feel so good, Eddie," Irina. She's the only one who calls me that. Tanya looms in front of my face, puckering her collagen deformed lips. I have the sudden urge to vomit.

1 hour later

I dry heave yet again, tears streaming down my face as they finally relent and leave me be. I've never asked for anything from the Volturi, they've stripped me of my life, my chance at romantic love, my freedom, and now my dignity. My small consolation is that over the past hour, no matter how they try to stimulate some response, my body never even twitches in interest. They've left me alone to give me time to 'miss them and come to my senses.' I almost sob in relief.

I can't live like this, it isn't right. I quickly assess my options. They'll be back soon. I can cut the bindings; I have a small knife concealed in my sleeve. I can escape. Can I avoid them forever? Can I intimidate them into avoiding me?

I decide my best bet is to get free and return to my own room to think. I slit the ropes quickly, freeing my chafed wrists and ankles. I pull up my pants and button my shirt. I slip out the door as quietly as I can and run all the way to my room. I hear voices behind me and loud sounds of running. I slip into my room and close the door, leaning against it. I hear voices outside and many attempts to enter my room. They want to take away my sanctuary. If I threaten them separately, I can scare them. I fight Kate tomorrow. She'll wish she had never assaulted me by the end of practice.

I can't get the horrible images of my degradation out of my mind. They will regret this day.

I press my forearm into her throat, cutting off her air. I block her from the rest of the group; they can't see me or her. Her eyes are wide with fright. My eyes are hard and angry.

"If you or your sisters touch me without my consent _ever again_ I will kill_ you_, I won't deal with them. I'll come after _you, Kate_." She clutches at my arm and her legs flail, trying to connect with something. I press down onto her upper body, "If you tell anyone about this, I'll kill you." I mean it, and she understands. She tries to nod or voice her assent, and it comes out as a quiet gurgle.

I have similar confrontations with the other two sisters, each isolated, one by one. I mean every word of my threat. I will not tolerate this violation. They go too far.

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

I realize that Kate grabbing me from behind accessed the memory of my own personal suffering. She deserved what she got. They knew what I would do. I'm a monster, the Volturi made me into a monster with their callous disregard for individuality, for choice.

"I killed a woman with my bare hands." The first complete sentence I've said. The first true words to my father, "She and her sisters, they attacked me nineteen months ago. They did things, they..." I can't tell him the whole story, I can hardly stand remembering it, "When we were in the Volturi base tonight… I saw them, and my… and James Masen. Two of the girls came after me, the other held back. One of them grabbed me from behind. When they assaulted me before, they grabbed me from behind. I wasn't thinking, so I reacted from fear. I broke her neck." I look up at Carlisle; I know I'll see disgust on his face. He won't want me for a son. His eyes are welling with tears. I look away. I can't stand it. I horrify everyone around me, and I can't change what I've become. I feel a warm arm around my middle.

"Son…" Carlisle's voice is broken, "I don't blame you, I only wish I could have prevented this, your life… you never deserved this." Tears spill from my eyes, I bury my face in his chest, wishing I could cling to him, but unwilling to let go of Jasper.

He holds me for awhile until I calm down. We talk quietly and he confides his deepest thoughts, his inability to comfort Esme, his own horror at the lives he has not been able to save, and his abiding faith that someday he will see the end of this circle of pain.

"I killed a woman." I say again, giving voice to my greatest failing. I cannot get past that single thought, I remember Jack's letter. He couldn't face me. I can't face Jasper.

"You were in an impossible situation, and Jasper was in danger. I don't blame you, son. No one will blame you." I want to believe him. His words are so comforting. I hear a throat clear behind me, Carlisle looks up and he seems surprised, as I hear a familiar voice.

"Carlisle, Alice needs to see you; I think it might be about Esme, I'll stay with Honey here." Carlisle looks at me and though we're both still emotional he quirks an eyebrow.

"Honey?" he asks mildly. I almost laugh, but it comes out somewhat hysterical, "I'll be fine Carlisle. If Blondie misbehaves, I'll just kick her ass." I hear Rosalie huff and this time Carlisle laughs gently. He pulls away.

"Edward, think about what I said." I look down as tears threaten again, but I don't want Blondie to see me any more beat up than I already look. Carlisle pats me on the shoulder and leaves. I keep my eyes closed for awhile, wondering how long he'll be gone. I feel feet on my bed. My eyes snap open and Blondie is about an inch from my face. She stares at me with a penetrating gaze. I try to jerk my head back, but the pain in my neck prevents me.

"Gah! What the fuck, Blondie?" I hiss as quietly as I can, trying not to wake Jasper, "Do you have _any _conception of personal space? Or did you skip that day in the "how to act human" class on your mothership?"

"That was original," she snaps, "at least I'm not sitting here feeling guilty about killing a person while I was defending someone I love." That shut me up. I stare at Blondie, "Edward," she continues in a gentler tone, I gape at her openly, I'm not sure if she's ever used my actual name before, "I don't know the full story of your life, and I don't know what they did to you, but the Volturi are evil, and people who align themselves with the Volturi voluntarily are willing participants in murder." She sighs, "I know you killed that woman, but you should know that Jasper won't hold that against you." She's been listening, I don't know for how long. She knows enough.

"How can you know that for certain?" I whisper.

"When you were shot, Jasper killed the woman who did it, he didn't even hesitate. I can't believe that he would regret any action that saved your life, and I'm frankly a little pissed that you don't feel the same."

I feel a tear slip down my cheek, "I don't regret it, Rose, that's the problem. If I regretted it, maybe I could deal, but I'm just a monster. They've stripped me of my compassion, my humanity. I would kill her again, I'd do it right now if it meant saving Jasper."

Rose tentatively reaches out as if to comfort me, but she pulls away. She looks like she wants to say something, but can't figure out what words to use. Finally she says, "Edward, I would do anything to save Emmett if he were ever threatened. I would kill for him, without hesitation or remorse. I don't know if that makes me a bad person, but if so, I accept that." I look up at her face and see a single tear glistening on her skin, "We all have different reasons to hate the Volturi. I hate them more than most. Whenever I wonder if I am becoming like them, I remember the one overwhelming drive that spurs me on to take down the Volturi. I remember the real impetus that keeps me from completely losing myself.

"It isn't about me, Edward, or you or Emmett, or Jasper. It isn't about anyone who has committed their lives to this cause, they deal in their own ways, and I can't really do anything for them. I fight to save a little girl who will suffer the same fate I did if the Volturi are allowed to continue. I do this for the little boy that will grow up with his parents, instead of a prisoner, because the Volturi don't exist. I do it for the woman that will know her son before he is a man. I do it for the man who will never have to live wondering if there was anything he could have done to save his brother. I do it for the people who will never have to kill to protect what they love." She's crying, and I've never seen her so vulnerable. I let go of Jasper's hand and reach out to her. I catch her wrist and she clasps mine in a tight grip. Her support is tangible, and I feel my guilt slipping away amid a greater awareness.

"I understand, Rosalie, thank you." I may never forgive myself, but I will do anything to save Jasper, and I will do anything to save the other victims the Volturi seek to corrupt and destroy.

Carlisle returns moments later and Rosalie leaves, citing work that she must tend to. I know she opened herself up to me as she did when she told me about King. For all her venom, I feel that Rosalie is closest to understanding my captivity. Perhaps that is why she and I see the world in much the same way.

Carlisle asks me if I want to talk more, but I don't think I can work through anything else right now. I shake my head and grab Jasper's hand again. I want him to wake up. I pray that he will be alright, even if that means he rejects me for the killer I am.

Carlisle asks if I feel up to meeting my mother, or if I would prefer to wait until Jasper is awake. I want to wait and I tell Carlisle that. He nods, seeming to understand. I feel minutes tick by slowly and I think about the fight.

Two hours later, Jasper wakes up. Carlisle sees Jasper move, and hurries over to the bed, blocking my view as he places a hand on Jasper's shoulder, Carlisle murmurs something to Jasper and I squeeze his hand gently. Carlisle returns to the desk, allowing me to see my man once again.

I look at his face, willing him to show some spark of recognition, some glimmer of self. I squeeze his hand and his eyes widen slightly.

I can't help the hopeful smile that breaks on my face when I see his beautiful blue eyes once again, "Good morning, Sunshine," My voice breaks a little, since I haven't spoken in a few hours. His face lights up and I think he tries to laugh. He sits up and moves off his bed, approaching my bed. I want to lie with him as well, so I try to brace my body and move, but everything feels weak and tired. Carlisle warned me that I would feel this way, but I don't care, Jasper is here, he can help me.

"Sorry, love," I say, almost cringing as I hear the endearment pop from my mouth. I don't know if it's too much. We haven't even known each other a week. I can't change anything now, maybe he won't notice, "you'llYou'll have to help me, Carlisle says I'll be weak for awhile."

I feel his arms under my body, and I curl against him as much as possible while he lifts me and moves me gently to the side. His touch is warm and sends tingling sensations down my body. I look over to Carlisle and he's watching with the stupidest grin on his face. Then Jasper lies down next to me and I pull him as close as I can. He's with me; he wants to be near me.

His next words send a chill down my spine, "I th-thought you were d-dead," I think of what Carlisle told me, about how Jasper, even nearly unresponsive, was able to save my life. I smile at the thought, my lips pressed to his hair. I realize he might not know that he saved me.

"Apparently someone performed surgery on me and saved my life," I squeeze him gently as he nuzzles my shirt, curling against me. I hope he understands how much I care for him. I love him so much it hurts. Will he be able to forgive me for killing?

"Edward?" I love hearing my name from his lips, in his beautiful voice.

"Yeah?" He looks up at me and my breath catches.

"I… I love you." I've never heard a more beautiful sound in all my life. He loves me. I want to shout for joy, I want to lower my mouth to his and kiss him, I want to hold tight and never let go. I capture his lips with mine and pour out all the emotion I have for him. I'm pretty sure I couldn't form a coherent sentence through the rush of love pouring through me. I hear a throat clear behind me and pull away, ; tThe kiss was just getting good too.

"Son of a," I growl, Jasper laughs, his face lighting up. He looks past me and cringes, "Esme, it's not what you think, he's your son!" I wish I could turn and face the door to keep surprises like this from happening every three seconds. Jasper tries to pull away, I'm sure he wants to shield me from Esme or something, but I can't let go, I need him by my side, "Edward, let me go, I need to explain, they don't know." He looks past me again, and his expression is fearful, "Esme, he's on our side, he helped us take down the Volturi headquarters, he saved my life…" His expression changes and he trails off, I hear a light laugh.

"Apparently, you're quite taken with him, Jasper. I don't blame you, I am too." I wish I could see her. As if hearing my thoughts, she moves around the bed to stand in my line of sight. Jasper turns over, and I hold him tight against me, suddenly very aware that I'm the big spoon. My cock twitches, much to my embarrassment. Jasper squirms, but I hold him tight.

I look up into emerald eyes that are startlingly similar to mine. They're a little larger in proportion to Esme Cullen's face, but they're the same shade. Her hair is graying at the temples, but it is similar to mine, caramel and bronze mixed together. She looks at Jasper, wriggling in my arms, then at me and her smile widens.

"I cannot tell you how angry I was when Carlisle arranged for your little jailbreak, Jasper, but I'm glad I had a chance to put things in perspective. I must say, Alice will be getting some rather unpleasant assignments in the near future. She hinted that Edward wasn't Victoria's spawn, but wouldn't spit it out. I almost fainted when I saw him the first time. I'm glad the two of you didn't witness that… erm… freak-out is the proper term, I believe." Carlisle wraps his arms around Esme's waist and rests his chin on her shoulder.

I try to lighten the mood, "Mom, Dad… I'm gay." Jasper snorts, and Esme laughs again, the bell-like sound ringing through the room.

Carlisle's face is a mask of shock, "Are you sure it's not just a phase, son?" Esme elbows him gently.

"Edward, to have you in our lives after so long is the most wonderful gift I could ever receive. The fact that you and Jasper have found each other magnifies our happiness. I'm so glad that you are safe and sound." I have a quiet nagging doubt that I cannot bring myself to voice. She doesn't know that I'm a killer. I don't want to ruin this reunion, especially when she is so warm. Jasper shifts against me again and nearly everything is forgotten as his ass lines up perfectly with my now rigid cock. I restrain my hips from thrusting, but I need to deal with this situation.

"Could Jasper and I have a moment alone? I need to… talk to him." I see Esme and Carlisle exchange a glance. Esme nods and I see Jasper's ears turn deep red, "How much time do you need, son?" Carlisle asks, the bastard, "Would an hour suffice?" I grit my teeth as Jasper grinds his ass back into me.

"Can we have two?" I ask in a strangled voice. Carlisle nods mildly. He and Esme walk out the door and I relax my grip on Jasper. He jumps out of the bed and whirls around, face red.

"They're your _parents!_" he stalks around to a desk, reaching in and pulling out something, "I can't believe you were so obvious." He fumes.

"Jasper, you're missing the point." He looks up at me, "We're alone, in a room full of beds. We'll be here by ourselves for two hours."

Jasper grins and holds up a condom and a bottle of lube, "I didn't miss the point, darlin'." I didn't expect this to go quite as well as it obviously is going to. I roll so my body is flat against the bed once more. I try to move my neck and this time I'm able to lift it slightly without much pain. I groan, angry that my body is so weak.

"Oh, God, Jasper. I want to, but I can't even move." Jasper saunters over to me, bending low to capture my lips. He snakes his tongue into my mouth and climbs on top of me, straddling my hips. He grips my chin and gently turns my head so I'm looking directly up at him. He pulls away.

"It's happening, Edward, I'm only going to stop if you ask me to." He thrusts against me and our cocks slide against each other. I groan and he swivels his hips, causing more friction. He bends down to kiss me again and I bring my good hand up to fist in his hair, keeping him locked to me. Our tongues dance together and our eyes lock as we make out on the bed.

He pauses for a moment, pulling back with a frustrated look on his face. He grips the sides of the collar of the shirt I'm wearing and pulls sharply, ripping it cleanly in two. I've never seen anything hotter. I growl and pull him down for another kiss as he proceeds to rip the shirt off meticulously, careful not to strain my arm or my neck.

He continues to grind against me and I arch and thrust back against him as strongly as I can. He breaks the kiss once more to pull his own shirt off, and I moan his name as I see his bare chest, muscular and tanned. I love him so much, mind, body, and soul. I feel a tear slip out of my eye and Jasper wipes it away with one thumb, "What's wrong, darlin'?" His voice is gentle and worried.

"Nothing, I just… I haven't told you how much I love you. I know you said it before, and I want you to know, I love you Jasper, with everything that I am. Make love to me." His eyes darken with lust and he kisses me passionately and fiercely. I strain against him, I can't get enough. I move my hand down to his back and pull his torso flush with mine, loving the feel of his skin colliding with my skin, his warm flesh against my chest.

Jasper releases my lips and begins working his way down my jaw and neck, toward my torso. His body arches away from mine and I start to rub slow circles down his back, feeling each muscle bunch as I caress him slowly. He latches onto a nipple and I feel a jolt of lust tear through me, "Don't stop, Jasper, oh my god." I pant, struggling to string the words together in the torrent of sheer need. He sucks and bites my nipple while still grinding his cock to mine. His hands start to trail after his lips. He continues his journey, moving across my chest to give my other nipple the same treatment. His fingers glide across my slick skin and trace fiery paths across my chest, evoking indescribable feelings as he teases my flesh. He kisses his way to the middle of my chest, tongue leaving a glistening trail behind that chills in the cool air. The contrast of his hot mouth against the cool wetness of my skin is maddening, "Jasper, please," I whimper, "Oh god, I need…" I'm not even sure what I need, I just need more. He teases my nipples with his thumbs as he plants open mouthed kisses down my abs. I'm reminded of the encounter in the kitchen, and I know what he intends to do. I can't hold myself back, and I writhe under his touch, desperation spurring my body to regain some of its strength as I grind against him wantonly.

Jasper licks his way down to the waistband of my pants, and I know what is going to happen next. He pulls them down and my cock springs free, quivering in anticipation of the warmth of his mouth. He licks all around my hips, kissing his way down my inner thighs. His hands ghost around my hips, lazily tracing the V leading down to my cock, "Jasper, please, oh god, please suck me. I can't stand it anymore." My voice sounds pathetic even to me, and Jasper chuckles against my skin, sending vibrations through my groin.

"You have no idea," he whispers so quietly that I can barely hear him. He brings his head up to hover over my cock and grins at me, completely in control. His hands wrap around my hips as I try to buck toward his face. He inches his lips closer and closer to my shaft and I close my eyes, wrapping my hand in his curls and gently urging him to stop the relentless torture. I feel his head bob down, and feel warmth around my cock, but no contact. I open my eyes as he sinks down. As soon as my cock hits the back of his mouth, he closes his lips and his tongue makes contact with nearly my entire shaft. I thrust up against him, unable to control it as the sensation hits me suddenly. His throat opens and I sink the rest of the way into his mouth until his nose is in my pubes. I feel him inhale as he begins to suck gently, tongue caressing the underside of my cock. He bobs up and down a few times, still teasing. Then he withdraws completely.

I almost cry in frustration, "No! Jasper please! Oh god, don't tease, please Jasper, oh Jasper… God." He pulls away completely and stands, my hand falls from his hair and I see him hook his hands in the waistband of his pants. He pulls them down slowly, inch by inch of his rigid shaft appearing as the fabric holds it down. Finally his cock springs free and slaps against his tight abs. I groan at the perfect sight. Jasper is so achingly beautiful. I lick my lips, wondering if he will let me suck him. I'm not sure if it would hurt, since my neck is still very sore, but I want to try. I'll definitely get on that (pun intended) when I'm better.

Jasper straddles my stomach again and flips open the bottle of lube. He pours some of the liquid onto his fingers. I watch him in a haze of lust as he reaches around to tease his own entrance. I realize what he intends to do and I almost cum then and there. The look on his face is rapturous. I want to be the one stretching him. I grab the bottle of lube from my chest and flip it open, pouring some into my hand awkwardly. Jasper is oblivious as he focuses on loosening his muscles. I close the bottle, dripping some lube onto my chest in the process, and I work the liquid onto my fingers as well as I can. I reach around Jasper and my fingers brush his.

His eyes snap open, nearly black with frenzied want. He meets my gaze and nods slightly and I plunge a finger into his ass. He clenches exquisitely around me, and pulls his own fingers out, wrapping them around his cock as I add a second and third finger, He squirms against me and I moan out his name.

"Jasper, I've never," I hesitate. He knows I'm a virgin, and I know he is. I'm afraid I might hurt him.

"I want this Edward, if it hurts too much, we'll stop, but it won't hurt too much." He shifts backward, dragging his ass over my cock as he goes. The sensation is unreal. My cock is trapped, but finally springs free when he's straddling my thighs. He picks up the condom and rips it open, rolling it down my length. Then he opens the lube and pours more into his hand, stroking my cock a few times to coat it with the slick substance. He looks me in the eye.

"Will you make love to me, Edward?" I bite my lip and nod, unsure of my voice. He raises himself above me and slowly sinks down until my cock brushes his ass. He grabs my shaft and slowly sinks down, impaling himself on my length. I watch his face, seeing the sensation of pain. I keep my hips still, hoping it isn't too much for him to go on. His ass is so tight, and I feel every sensation magnified tenfold because it's Jasper.

He pauses for a moment, adjusting to my size, "Is it too much? Did I hurt you, Jasper?" I don't want him to stop, but he looks so pained. He shakes his head and begins to sink down onto my cock once more, enveloping me in his warmth. He leans forward and kisses me, though I can tell he's still uncomfortable. He takes in my entire length until his ass hits my hips. He stops and wraps his arms around my chest, squeezing me tightly as he waits for the pressure to subside. Sweat beads on his forehead and a drop fall from his nose to my cheek. I wrap my hand around his neck and hold his cheek to mine, whispering gently into his ear.

"I know it hurts, love, I don't want to be the cause of your pain. We can stop, you don't have to. I love you so much." I press gentle kisses to his temple and his cheek, hoping he will stop hurting himself to try and please me. I feel his muscles relax and the tension starts to melt from his face. He arches his hips and draws away from my shaft, then sinks back down slowly. He kisses my cheek and whispers in my ear, "I feel so full. It hurt at first, but the sensation now is incredible." He pulls back and kisses me again, arms loosening their death-grip as he increases the pace of his hips as he continues to fuck himself on me. Suddenly his eyes go wide as he thrusts onto me and his lips part in a shocked O. I know my cock has hit his prostate. His body tenses and quivers as he grinds himself onto me harder, "Oh, Edward, so good." He moans as he begins to buck against me, thrusting wildly and tensing every time my cock brushes against his prostate. I feel my body nearing release and I want Jasper to come with me. I pull him down for a kiss and as our lips connect, I slide my hand between our bodies and grab his cock, stroking it in time with his thrusts. His breathing becomes erratic and I know he's close, I can feel the desperation in his kisses, it infuses his entire body as he grinds down on me again and again, "Come with me, Jasper, I can't hold on any longer." I say as I explode into the condom and I feel him tense. His cock spasms in my hand and his ass clenches around my shaft, milking me. It's the most powerful orgasm I've ever experienced.

I kiss Jasper frantically as my body continues to jolt on the bed, tongues moving together as he collapses onto me. I don't care that we're a sticky mess. We're together. We're one. He loves me.

Jasper rolls off of me and I protest, trying to hold onto him. He returns with a towel and some water and wipes off our chests and stomachs, cleaning off his release. He pulls the condom off of me and bathes my cock tenderly. I want to pull him down and take him again, but he's so tender and wonderful, I can't ruin the moment. He sets the basin and towel aside and climbs up onto the bed again, turning away from me and looping my arm under him. I pull him close and he holds my hand to his stomach, pressing himself into my body. I have the presence of mind to cover us with a sheet in case we fall asleep.

We lay there silently for a moment, "Edward," I nuzzle his neck to let him know I'm listening, "Esme and Carlisle love you. They aren't pretending, I know Carlisle better than anyone, and they're truly thrilled to have you back." I grin.

"I know, Jasper."

"They're really great people, and they've been through a lot."

"I can't wait to get to know them. Jasper, what are your parents like?"

"My dad died when I was only 6, and my mom is the most wonderful supportive woman. She doesn't know what I do, but she's still there for me."

"Does she know you're gay?" He nestles further back into me and nods.

"Yeah, I told her a few years ago. She's known since I was in high school."

I laugh, "Do you think Esme knew before I told her?"

Jasper shakes his head, "No, you were pretty stealthy." He wiggles in my embrace and I groan, loving each sensation.

"Jasper, would you tell me about when you came out to your mom?"

* * *

><p>Jpov<p>

_3 years ago_

I haven't been home for more than a week in over 3 years. I never wanted to have to deal with Matt, but as a result, I've hurt mama. I can't believe how long I've lived without her, she and I used to be so close. I told her everything growing up, everything except the most important thing.

I'd spent almost 3 years with Matt, but I'm glad I never told mama. I think her heart would break if she knew how sad I was after Matt turned on me.

I walked up the short cement path to our front door. I raised my hand to knock on the door, feeling more like a stranger every moment. Before I had a chance to strike the wood, the door swung open with a whoosh and I was gathered into her familiar warm embrace. I'm taller than I used to be, but mama still feels the same, she smells the same. I can't believe how long it's been since I visited. After Charlie died, I worried about her safety. I confided in Carlisle and he told me not to worry.

"Jasper, I believe Esme told you about Mrs. Cope?" I nodded as I looked at the blond man, "Well, in addition to being a remarkably good information gatherer, Mrs. Cope is also a doorway. When we no longer need her services, we often leave agents behind. Mrs. Cope 'dies' and a son, grandson, nephew, or some other relative moves into her house. One of our most reliable agents has been keeping watch on your mother, just in case anything was to happen." I relaxed as I heard this, mama would be safe. I thought about visiting, but I knew I would have to come clean next time I saw her. Would she be hurt that I hadn't told her?

Mama pulled away from me and beamed as she ushered me inside, "Jasper Whitlock, shame on you for not visitin', and shame on you for thinkin' you ever have to knock when you visit me. I ought to tan your hide." I followed quietly, properly chastised. Mama knew something was wrong, because instead of launching into her normal visit mode and regaling me with stories about her friends and neighbors, she sat me down on the couch and sank down beside me.

"I can see there's something bothering you, baby boy. I won't press you, but you know I'm always here." She sat next to me while I thought of what I should say.

"Mama…" I paused, "Mama, I haven't been back for so long because I was worried. When I worked at the police station, I met a man named Charlie Swan who became sort of a mentor. I never knew dad, and Charlie was great. He would give me advice and I could confide anything in him. I know I could do the same with you, but somehow it was comforting to have a man to talk to." She looked like she might cry, but she nodded.

"Charlie was killed about a year ago. It was rough for me, because I really grew to love him like a father." She gathered me up in her arms and gave me a warm hug. I cried into her blouse for a moment, then pulled back, "It hurt that he died, but the worst part was that he never really knew the real me, Mama. I was ashamed and worried. I was weak, and I should have told him… I should have told you years ago." I took a deep breath, "Mama… I'm—"

"Gay?" I stared at her.

"How did you know?" I was shocked.

"Baby boy, I've known ever since the night you came back from the party with Maggie. I talked to her the next day, and she told me everything she knew." She gathered me into another warm embrace, "I'm sorry if I ever gave you the impression you couldn't share this with me, I love you more than anything. I would never judge you for who you love."

"I'm so sorry, mama," I sobbed into her shirt, "I never got the chance to tell Charlie. He never knew. I'm sorry I was scared."

"Jasper," she said, pulling away, "Don't ever run away from who you are. You don't need to announce yourself to everyone, but never feel ashamed. You are my son. You are a wonderful, caring man. Don't let anyone tell you differently or look down on you."

I nodded, throat closing as I felt tears continue to slip down my cheeks.

"Now, you take as much time as you need, and you let me know when you want food. I'll be right here."

After a few more minutes processing the wonderful sensation of acceptance and love, I got up off the couch. , I wiped my eyes on my sleeve and sniffled a little before wandering out to the kitchen. Mama was standing over the stove making chili and cornbread. She didn't push me for any more details about Charlie or my life until we were eating.

"So, do you have a man?" She asked, peering at me over the bowl of her spoon. I choked, snorting chili out of my nose in the process. My nostrils burned as my face turned red. I shook my head and she nodded, "Well, when you find one worth bringing home, let me know." I nodded dutifully. We ate in silence for another couple minutes, "Tell me about Matt." I stared at her, how did she find out about him? Was she some sort of spy? "Oh, please, Jasper. Don't give me that look. I'm your mother, ; it's my job to know these things. Did he mistreat you? Did he hurt you? Is that why you left?"

I swallowed thickly and caved, telling her the entire story about Matt and how we'd experimented. I told her how he'd ended it, she was not pleased.

"I'm fine with it, mama. It doesn't matter." It was a lie, but it was a kind lie. Matt was part of the reason I rarely visited and she knew it. Mama gritted her teeth.

"Jasper, I'll let it go for now, but you don't seem fine. I worry about you, and I don't like the thought that Matt forced you to move away." I wanted to tell her that I had other reasons for not visiting, but I couldn't let her know about Sanctum. It wasn't just Matt anymore. I had a job to do, an important job that saved lives.

"I'll try and visit more often, mama, but I don't want you to worry about me. I'm fine, and I'm not hiding anymore."

"Are you happy, Jasper?" I clenched a fist under the table. She asked the one question I didn't want to confront. I wasn't happy, I couldn't remember the last time I'd been truly happy. Certainly it had been before I started seeing Matt and lying about it to Mama.

"I… I'm happy with my work, it's wonderful, and the people are great."

"Jasper." I couldn't meet her eye.

"I'm fine, mama."

She came around the table and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, "Jasper, I want you to open up. I want you to find love, find someone that gives you purpose. Without love, life isn't worth living." I cringed mentally at the correlation between what Charlie had said to me that last day and what my mother felt. If I found the right man… I knew that I would never meet anyone in Sanctum. I was hiding, but I couldn't tell mama. She'd never let me leave.

"I am open, mama. I just haven't found the one."

She sighed, letting the matter go. The rest of the visit, we purposely ignored our discussion. She didn't push me and I didn't offer anything up voluntarily. Even though the matter hung in the air, I loved spending time with mama. I wanted to promise to visit more often, spend more time with her. I wasn't sure if I could commit to that. I had to prioritize, and for now, Sanctum was my priority.

* * *

><p><em>Present day<em>

Epov

I hug Jasper closer as he recounts his story. I hope I'm the one. I know he's the one for me, but there is still the unspoken horror of what I've done.

"Jasper, we need to talk about what happened in the Volturi base." He turns around to face me, eyes full of love, but serious.

"Edward, I don't hold any of that against you. I'm sorry that you were in that position, but I hope you know that I realize you had no choice. You would never kill if there were another option." I nod, though I'm unconvinced that he is right, "Edward, what you don't know…" Jasper's voice cuts off and his eyes well with tears, "I killed her… the woman who shot you. She was going to kill you, so I used… I used the rifle. I can still feel the splinters of wood from the table hitting my face. I emptied the entire clip into her, because I couldn't bear the thought of you being dead. I didn't speak a word to anyone from the time I saw you hit the ground until you woke up next to me."

I hold him closer, knowing what the confession is costing him.

"I don't want to kill, but I will do anything to protect you, Edward. I only wish I could have protected Charlie. I know I should feel bad about killing another person, but I won't preserve a Volturi at the sacrifice of you or anyone else." He looks at me as if willing me to accept him in spite of his views.

"I spoke with Rosalie earlier, we talked about this. I don't know if I can forgive myself for killing, but I would do it again, Jasper. I don't regret my actions, they saved lives. The Volturi must be stopped, by any means necessary. Perhaps one day we can put all of this behind us. Will you ever be able to leave this life, Jasper? Could you be with me and leave the crusade behind?"

I swallow more questions, I need to know. I watch him carefully and finally he opens his mouth to speak.

**A/N I'm evil :D I know. What will Jasper say? Were you surprised by anything? Tell me what you feel! I'm thinking this story will be about another 5 or so chapters. I have a rough plan, but I think the story should mostly be told by then. (By the way, I've written over 100k words in the past 3 weeks! Yeah!)**


	9. Goodbye, Seattle

**A/N: So sorry about the delay in posting... well, anything. I'm trying to get past some tough scenes, and much of this chapter has been written and rewritten several times. Same disclaimers as always about content and ownership. As penance, I went back after getting this from my beta and added in a lemon. Love me.  
><strong>

**DreamingPoet1988 is my fantastic beta, any mistakes left behind are purely my own. **

**Fic Recommendation of the week... hmm..**

**If you aren't already reading it:**

**Sixty Five Hours by Owenic**

Chapter 9 - Goodbye, Seattle

"_I spoke with Rosalie earlier, we talked about this. I don't know if I can forgive myself for killing, but I would do it again, Jasper. I don't regret my actions, they saved lives. The Volturi must be stopped, by any means necessary. Perhaps one day we can put all of this behind us. Will you ever be able to leave this life, Jasper? Could you be with me and leave the crusade behind?"_

_I swallow more questions, I need to know. I watch him carefully and finally he opens his mouth to speak._

Jpov

Edward's expression as he admitted his views on killing was painful to watch. He'd been through so much, and I wasn't sure he'd told me everything. I knew how strong he was, and the fact that he doubted his own goodness felt like a blow to my gut. I loved him completely. I accepted him for who he was, including all the potential flaws and infuriating quirks.

"Edward," I began, needing him to see how much I thought of his character, "I love you so much. I can't imagine spending another day without you. It hurts me to see you agonizing over your choices. I will stay with you, no matter what you decide to do. I would give up the fight against the Volturi today if you asked me to. I wouldn't look back. I've never had much passion in my life. I guess I always hid from any situation that put me in danger or required a leap of faith." I drew a shaky breath. I'd never been so candid with anyone before, not even my mother.

"When I joined Sanctum I did it because I felt like I failed Charlie. I spent so long with him that he was, for all intents and purposes, my father. I never had the guts to put myself out there and tell him about the man I was inside. I didn't realize that by making the decisions I made, I was hiding again. You literally crashed into my life and shocked me out of the rut I didn't realize I'd carved for myself. I've been a spectator to my own existence for so long that I didn't even recognize how shut in I had become. These last few days with you have made me feel like I've come to life for the first time. I'm not afraid of what anybody thinks about me. I don't worry about how to explain my choices to other people, because for the first time, everything in my life feels right."

His expression was tender and bright as I continued to pour out my soul, "I don't know what tomorrow will bring. I don't know if we'll ever fully destroy the cancer of the Volturi. I'm not sure if Esme and Carlisle will continue their struggle, now that their lives have been completed by you. The only constant that I need is you. I want to be with you, Edward. I'll go anywhere you ask me to go."

I smiled shyly and touched my lips to his in a gentle kiss. I hooked one leg around his and wrapped my arms around him to feel him against me. The sheet started to slip off and I grabbed for it, holding it in place. Edward pulled away for a moment.

"I love you too, Jasper. I want forever with you." He tucked his head under my chin and I felt his body relax. After a few moments, his breathing evened out and I realized he had fallen asleep. I held him until I too drifted off, my dreams filled with his warmth and love.

It was over a week before Carlisle allowed me to discharge Edward from the Medical Bay. I spent every moment possible with him, talking about my past and his, exploring his body as he explored mine. Usually, we would talk for a few hours as I worked, sometimes taking a break if anyone needed true medical attention, but invariably, we would gravitate toward each other. Rather, I would steadily draw nearer and nearer to him, unable to resist the pull he seemed to exert on my body. As soon as I was in close enough proximity to him, he would grab me and pull me onto his bed. Though I worried about re-opening his wound, our escapades the first day he'd awakened proved that his injury was not so severe as to completely prohibit… our inter-personal activities.

We made love at least once a day; I continued to take control, not wanting him to impede his own recovery by exerting himself too much. I consoled myself by reasoning that I never directly initiated our sessions, though I may have incited them once or twice. Afterward, he sometimes complained that his head throbbed from the pressure (no not that one.), but whenever I attempted to pull away from his initial embrace, he would strong arm me and force me to have my way with him. It was torturous. I loved how vital he was, even when confined to the bed. Every time I felt him fill me, my heart threatened to burst from my chest. He got more aggressive, especially on the sixth day when his IVs came out. I bucked against him as he gripped my hips in his strong hands. I was always careful not to let him thrash too much, since his neck was sore and tight, but when he came inside me, I felt the earth tilt, and then realized it was the bed. We didn't mean to break it, I swear.

Luckily, Edward realized what was happening, and he pulled me close. My head narrowly missed striking the bed beside us, and when I recovered from the shock of what had happened, Edward was laughing his ass off and was still buried in me. I growled and shifted my hips and his laugh turned to a frantic groan as his over-sensitive dick slipped out of me.

"Brat," I muttered, making sure his neck was alright. He could stand by this point, and his neck was well enough that he could move it from side to side gingerly without getting a headache. I helped him to his feet and he wrapped his naked body around mine, turning me in his arms so that he was pressed up against my back. We faced the broken bed and he snickered lightly into my ear.

"What are we going to tell Carlisle?" He inquired mildly. I elbowed him gently and he squeezed me tighter, laughing.

"We're going to tell Carlisle that your bed was defective and it broke when we were doing physical therapy exercises, and when he leaves, we'll check to make sure that all the rest of the beds are sturdy. We wouldn't want any patient to hurt themselves because we haven't checked out all our equipment thoroughly."

"You can check out _my _equipment while you're at it," Edward growled into my ear and I moaned, thrusting my ass up against his cock. It started to grow again, and he hissed, "You are insatiable, Jasper, haven't you had enough yet?"

"Never," I whispered, "Besides, I never got to cum. You broke the bed and left me hanging."

He turned me around and looked me in the eye, "I'll have to rectify that, immediately." He sank down to his knees and my eyes rolled back in my head as he took my throbbing length into his talented mouth. His tongue licked and teased and I grabbed onto his hair. He'd never done this before, but I took it as a sign of his rapidly progressing recovery and made a mental note to mention his newly found stamina and the psychological healing his continuing initiative indicated. I held his head still and gently fucked his mouth, and he realized I was doing it to keep him from hurting his neck. He obligingly stilled his bobbing motion and instead gripped my ass in his hands, dictating the pace as his tongue continued to work its magic. As he sucked my length, he started moaning, but it was arrhythmic as if he was talking. I looked down and saw his emerald eyes staring up at me with such love it made my heart stutter. He hollowed out his cheeks and sucked hard as his hands pulled me firmly. My dick sunk completely down his throat and his nose brushed my pubes as he 'said' three words. This time, I realized what he was saying: _I love you_.

I completely lost control as my orgasm hit instantly. I had never come so hard in my life as I did in that moment. He loved me. I wanted to ask what else he had been saying, but I was suddenly shy as he released my softening length and rose to his feet to kiss me. His tongue dove into my mouth and I tasted myself on him. I felt my weakened knees almost give out, but his strong arms were wrapped around me and he held me gently but firmly against his chest.

I heard footsteps echoing in the hall outside of the Medical Bay and jumped away from Edward, glancing around wildly to find the clothes we'd discarded. My clothes all happened to be underneath the broken bed. Edward grinned and grabbed the sheet, wrapping it around my waist and then ducking behind me. He held it up as we faced the door, identical guilty looks on our faces.

Carlisle was, to his credit, only mildly scandalized. He and Esme obviously knew that Edward and I were together, but knowing and seeing are two very different experiences. He drew up short when he saw us standing there. He glanced down to the broken bed and back up at us. He looked down to the floor and saw Edward's scrubs, and then he looked back up at Edward, realized he was naked, turned red, and stammered something about a report. He turned and practically ran away down the hall. Edward kissed the back of my neck tenderly.

"Is there any way we can get some more private accommodations, love?"

"I think we'd better."

* * *

><p>When Edward was finally released, Esme and Carlisle were confident of his loyalty because of their talks with Rosalie, Alice, and me. They agreed that he would be allowed to roam the base freely, and they gave him a room of his own. I made sure that he got one with a bed big enough that we could share, which earned a few smirks from Rosalie, a squee from Alice, and endless bad jokes about pirates and bandits from Emmett. From the looks on Carlisle and Esme's faces, I half expected them to give me "the talk," but luckily they opted for willful ignorance. I'm not sure if I would have been able to face them if they'd actually tried to talk to me about sex with their son, no matter how well-intentioned.<p>

It was a relief that Edward had recovered enough that he only needed to visit medical once every two days to get checked on, but he complained about not having anything to do. Esme and Carlisle had a long discussion with him (to which I was not invited) and the upshot was that they decided Edward would join Garrett's team on a temporary basis until we were done tracking down all of the financial loose ends left by the Volturi.

With James gone to ground and the main HQ of the Volturi out of the picture, their operation in Seattle was ripe for a takedown. With Jake and Seth providing up -to-the-minute inside information on half a dozen small bases and training facilities, various teams rolled up all of the exclusively Volturi operatives within two weeks of Edward being back in the field. Most of these were turned over to the government on charges of espionage, murder, or treason, depending on what we could prove from the fragments of the Volturi database that had been recovered from the servers we'd taken down.

There wasn't as much information as we might have hoped, since James initiated a purge that was almost halfway complete by the time it got shut down. Bella had a team assembled to pick it apart fragment by fragment so that we could bring as many people to justice as possible.

Once the Volturi were rounded up, the next 3 weeks passed slowly as each individual criminal operation was brought to the attention of the police on our side in the department. They took longer because the police didn't have the resources to focus exclusively on the cases we brought them, but eventually everything was cleaned up, and we had taken many bad people off the streets. I missed Edward during all this time. I only saw him when we were both off duty, which didn't happen that often.

Edward was, as I said, with Garrett's team for most of the Volturi cleanup, and once their operations were finished, he had to decide whether he would help with the police or assist Bella. In the end, the decision was made for him after a rather embarrassing episode.

I was liaising with the department because of my already standing connections there. I would go in during the evening shift when the officers who had helped us with the takedown were on duty. I would bring three cases each night and we would work on them until the culprits were found before I brought in the next set. On the first night, I gave one of the cases to Ben and Angela and another to Riley and Benjamin. Mike and I worked together, and for the first time I really realized that Mike was gay.

I had worked with Mike when he and Charlie were partners, but never one on one. We were going over the case file and he kept inching closer and closer to me. I felt his breath hot on my neck and pushed away, turning to face him. His expression was definitely not professional. I wasted no time explaining to him that I was not interested, and he seemed to respect that. It was awkward, since in retrospect, he had been interested in me since I started working with Charlie. I tried to ignore the palpable tension, and after an hour or so, it receded to an uncomfortable awareness in the back of my mind. Then Edward came to visit and saw the way Mike looked at me. Needless to say he got irrationally paranoid and jealous, so I asked Esme to make sure he stayed in Sanctum. It was a sore point for me, since I'd been looking forward to working with him. Mike kept his distance and every morning I came back to Sanctum hoping to catch at least a few minutes with Edward before he had to go start his analyst duties with Bella.

The time we spent apart was taxing, as were the few moments we spent together in the early morning. When Edward was released in the afternoon, however, we always had a few hours to reconnect. It was precious time, spent with words of love and as much contact as we could manage. We didn't always make love, but we always held each other, and often Edward would fall asleep in my arms before I had to leave for the night. I would stroke his hair and wrap my body around his until I was forced to leave, but I knew every moment spent working on our shared goal brought us that much closer to the time when we could be free and together without worrying about the safety of our families.

Finally we were finished in Seattle. There were no more bad guys that had been connected to the Volturi. We'd provided invaluable information about many criminal operations to the SPD, and many of our number had moved on. According to Carlisle that was generally the most difficult part about ending an operation. The people who worked with us for the past 4 years were striking out on their own, away from Sanctum, and many were returning to their families. Since the beginning of Esme's operations were structured around connecting with local victims of the Volturi, almost all the operatives in any given location had specific grudges against the local Volturi. With the dissolution of a cell, nearly all those grudges came out in the wash. Most of the operatives in a given area would never confront the Volturi again, and so they broke ties with fellow Sanctum members who still had burdens to bear. I heard of several teary goodbyes from Alice and Carlisle, and then I had one such moment with Bella.

She came to the Medical Bay with Jake in tow. Initially, I saw her pensive expression and worried someone might have gotten hurt, but she quickly explained that she was visiting on a personal note. She stood in front of me, arms folded defensively. For a moment she seemed lost, but I didn't want to over-step my bounds with Jake present. Normally I would hug her, but Jake never seemed to fully trust that I was gay, so I settled for a gentle greeting.

"What's up, Bells?" I wasn't sure I wanted the answer from the look on her face. She seemed like she might burst into tears.

"Charlie is gone, Jasper. I spent the last four years coming to terms with that. I know Jake feels strongly about losing Billy too. We're going to move to Forks; we're done with Sanctum." I nodded, understanding. If Edward had no burden to bear, I would most likely be in the same situation. I watched Bella, she seemed prepared to defend her choice, but I remained silent.

When I didn't question her, Bella continued, "I can't thank you enough for helping me, Jasper. You're such a wonderful man, and I know Charlie thought of you as a son. I know I'll always consider you a brother." Bella pulled me into an embrace, tears shining in her eyes, "I hope you and Edward find your own happily ever after like I have. Jake and I are getting married. We both want children, and we've decided to name our first son Charles Jasper Black. He'll carry the names of the three strongest men we've ever had the privilege to know."

I couldn't immediately think of anything appropriate to say. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her for a moment before I responded, "Bella, I can't thank you enough for being there for me when Charlie died. I don't know what I would have done alone, but because of you, I met all these wonderful people. I met Edward. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call me."

She pulled away, face blotchy from crying. I nudged her playfully with an elbow, "Jesus, Bells, it ain't like you're dyin'." She laughed as I pulled out my most atrociously backwater Texan accent, and I squeezed her hand, "Seriously, Bella. This isn't goodbye, I love you too much to let you go that easily, sister. When Edward and I have put this all behind us, we'll visit. Y'all will be so sick of us, you'll beg us to leave."

Her face was serious as she gripped my hand, "That would never happen, Jasper. Ever."

I shifted awkwardly before tugging her in for a final hug. As I drew away from her, I was surprised to see Jake extending a hand. I clasped it firmly and he drew me into a man-hug, shoulders barely touching and hips strategically distanced from one another. He muttered a terse thanks and farewell, reiterating Bella's previous sentiment that I would be welcome in his home. I was truly touched and smiled softly to myself as they turned and left without another word. We had a more public farewell later that night, and we said goodbye to several friends who would stay behind. Later that night, I snuggled into Edward's warm embrace as I thought of Charlie and my other friends who were killed by the Volturi. I thought of Bella and what my life would be like without her in it, and I cried softly to myself, a release of burden more than expression of sorrow. Edward remained asleep, but his arm tightened around my waist. I threaded my fingers through his over my stomach and drifted off thinking of Charlie, Bella, and the years I had lived in this city. Times were going to change, and there was little I could do, even if I feared the change.

* * *

><p>Epov (1 week after Volturi takedown)<p>

I feel a little bad about the bed, but damn my boy is enthusiastic. I can't help myself. Every time he comes within reach, I ache to pull him down to me. He's like a fucking Pringles jingle. Then there's the whole blowjob, which has been a fantasy of mine since we were holed up in that extraordinarily nice apartment with its fantastic kitchen. I relish the taste of his flesh, the feel of his shaft as it glides easily into my mouth. I can't wait to feel him buried in my body, claiming me the way I've claimed him. I decide that will be something to explore when we finally have time to ourselves.

As I hold him gently in my mouth, I can't help but vocalize all of my thoughts and fantasies, how much I care for him and want to please him. It comes out as a garbled moan, but as I gaze up into his eyes, I know he understands that I'm not just doing this for his release, but for my own gratification as well. As soon as his eyes lock with mine, I feel my throat constrict with emotion. I love him. I say it without hesitation, and his eyes widen with lust as he finally comes explosively. When I finally taste his seed, spilling into my mouth, I can't help but take it all. I continue to lick and suck while his throbbing penis pulses rhythmically. When it finally begins to soften, I rise and capture his head in my hands as I mould my mouth to his.

Carlisle's interruption is mortifying to Jasper, I know this. I'm simply so happy to be free to express myself for the first time in my life that I grin as my newfound father retreats hastily. I don't think I'll ever be able to be shy about my love for Jasper. It just won't occur to me until it's far too late to cover up. I don't feel sorry either. I FUCKING LOVE JASPER WHITLOCK! I want to shout it out for the world to hear, but I want to whisper it tenderly to my man, and hear him chant my name once more. Fuck, I need a room where the doors lock and the walls aren't made of glass.

* * *

><p>3 days later<p>

Jasper and I have a room. I understand that it's never been used, which we will rectify later. For the moment, I'm a little overwhelmed that I've been accepted so much by Esme and Carlisle. I half expected Esme to try and kill me after the certainty Jasper expressed.

I feel myself itching to get to some sort of work. I haven't been this inactive in a decade. I grew up fast, but the one thing I don't regret receiving from Victoria is my work ethic. For the past week and a half, I've been begging Jasper to let me help with something. It wasn't as bad when I could spend the entire day in the Medical Bay, ogling the delectable man, but now that I'm on my own (and not particularly inclined to return to the site of my previous bed-ridden captivity, despite the amazing view) I feel the inaction grating against my nerves.

At lunch, I mention my wish to contribute to Rosalie, who has become my best friend (Alice calls her my fag hag, which I don't really understand, but since it sounds insulting, I choose not to share this tidbit with Rose).

"Honey, if you want work, I'm sure Esme and Carlisle would be more than happy to assign you somewhere. Maybe you could be our new medic in training?" She leers at me suggestively, "I think Jasper would love to see you back in scrubs. You could try and break another bed, even." I narrow my eyes in warning. Somehow the story spread, and I suspect Carlisle, since I know I didn't tell anyone, and I'm pretty sure Jasper was too embarrassed to.

"I don't want to be a medic, Rose. I have all this other training, tactics and hacking and shit that I'm never going to fucking use. I can build a campfire… Who the fuck builds campfires?" I demand to know and she simply shrugs.

"What's your point, Honey?" I grimace at her nickname for me.

"My point, _Blondie_," I use my nickname for her which earns me a glare, "Is that I already have enough skills. I want to employ them rather than spending months or years learning something new. Isn't there something I could do with my combat skills? Training perhaps?" Rose shakes her head.

"Sorry, Honey, it's the home stretch now. We won't need more trainers unless we relocate to a city with no Sanctum operation. Besides, you'd put Emmett all out of joint if you tried to poach any of his students." She lowers her voice and whispers, "Especially if any of them prefer you to him."

"Ops team?" Rose frowns.

"I'm not sure if that would be a good idea, Honey. You don't… I mean, I trust you, but others may not. It was only two weeks ago that you were sent here to assassinate Esme. Everyone knows who you are, partly because of that, and partly because of how easily we've accepted you, and by "we" I mean the people who worked with you before and Esme and Carlisle. I don't know if any team that can take you on will allow it. Maybe Garrett's, since he's with Alice. You'd have to ask someone with a higher pay grade than me, though. I'm not going to make that call." I feel my face falling and she reaches out to lay a hand over mine, "Hey, Honey, you know if it were up to me, you'd be on my team. That being said, I think Jasper would prefer if you didn't switch teams," she quips, trying to throw me off of the surprisingly tender sentiment.

"Well, you would know all about switching teams," I said lightly, "I heard Makenna talking about the locker room incident, you big dyke." Rose swats me on the arm and I pretend flinch. Rosalie is physical and whether she's being playful or pissed, she tends to express herself through assault. When she started doing it last week, it hurt just to move too much, so I actually flinched legitimately. For the past few days, however, the strikes haven't hurt, I'm just trying to delay the moment when I find out if she's been going easy on me for the sake of my injury. She looks contrite. I leave her on the hook.

"Honey, I heard through the grapevine that Esme and Carlisle want to sit down with you, so… bring it up. Maybe they'll have a solution." I nod and pick up my tray, walking alongside Rose as we go our separate ways, she to her work, and me to my… _our _room. I feel my cock twitch at the thought of our first night in a new place. I close the door behind me and pace for about twenty minutes before I start to go stir crazy. I yank open the door and exit the room, maybe I can visit Jasper and give him a preview of…

I run distractedly into Emmett, who doesn't seem to register the collision until after I'm picking myself up from the ground. I swear he must be half mountain. He reaches out and rights me, which is a little embarrassing because he manhandles me with ease (and I used to think of myself as macho, little did I know), "Esme wants you in her office, Eddie," he growls politely, "And, erm… sorry for knocking you down." I rub the back of my neck ruefully.

"It was my fault, I was distracted."

"In that case, I challenge you to a sparring match as soon as you're wimpy-ass neck is all better. As penance. Can't have you interloping on my wheelhouse, after all." He smiles broadly, and suddenly I have a suspicion that he's heard of my wish to help with combat training. I know Emmett well enough from Jasper's anecdotes to put two and two together.

"Wimpy-ass neck? That sounds just wrong. You've been talking to Rosalie about me. You set this all up," I accuse.

"I never!" he gasps, pretending to be scandalized. I glare at him.

"I suppose you were just standing in the middle of the hallway for no reason? What would you have done if I hadn't been distracted?"

"Rosie said you were bound to be rushing off somewhere important when you came out of your room. Said she got her information from Alice, and I never bet against Alice."

I ball my fists as he laughs in my face, "Fine! I'll fight you, you ginormous brute. I'm going to kick your ass right in front of Blondie and Jasper." He scoffs in my face.

"Bring it on, Honey Rider!" Low blow.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall." I stalk past him and head for Esme's office while he works on another insult.

* * *

><p>I'm not going to speak first. It's creepy.<p>

If I had to guess, I'd say they've been plotting how this entire conversation will go from the moment they found out I was their son. They have these identical warm smiles that individually would be touching, but combine to make them seem eerily happy.

When it becomes apparent, Carlisle's face falls marginally and he shifts in his seat. I try not to smile at his obvious discomfort. His fidgeting reminds me of how Jasper behaves when I have my arm hooked around him and his back to my chest. Strike that. Nothing about either of them reminds me of someone I'm having sex with. This is so awkward.

We sit in silence for a few more seconds. Someone should write a book: _How to reconnect with estranged parents after being raised by their sworn enemies. _I would buy it.

"I don't want to kill you." Esme loses her composure first, and I'm not really surprised by the theme of her first words, but the delivery is a bit blunt. She turns a little red, smile fading, "I mean, I know that you left the base with Dr. Wh-Jasper because Carlisle thought I would just storm into the interrogation room and kill you… I don't think I would have, and I definitely have no intention of killing you."

Awkward silence.

"Um… thanks?" I don't really know how to respond, why am I even here?"

"I'm glad you've recovered," Esme starts spouting words out again, "Dr. Wh-Jasper is wonderful… I mean… I know you think so too." She turns bright red, "I… not that there's anything wrong with… I'm happy for both of you, that you've found a compatible," I stare pointedly at the floor, hoping it will open up and swallow me. She trails off and I look up. Her face is still cherry red and Carlisle lays a hand on hers in a gesture intended calm and silence.

"What Esme means to say, Edward, is that we're very pleased to find you after all these years. We don't harbor any fear or ill will toward you because of your previous experiences, and we are as comfortable with your newfound relationship as we can be, given our relatively short time to play catch up. None of this reflects on you, merely on our protectiveness toward a member of our staff in conflict with our loyalty to our son. We don't want to see either of you hurt."

Finally a conversational something that is both controlled and something I can respond to.

I try out a wry grin, "Thank you, Carlisle, er… Dr. Cullen… uh…" I contemplate what I would be most comfortable calling him.

"Call me Carlisle. I daresay I haven't been a father to you. That is something I long to change, but given our unique circumstances, I'd be more comfortable with Carlisle than anything else."

"Thank you, Carlisle. I'm… uh… struggling with all this as much as you are, I'm sure. I've never had a family before, well… not one that I liked, anyway. I'm trying my best to wrap my head around everything, and Jasper and everyone has been wonderful. I'm just really fucking happy—" Esme winces and I try to revise what I said, "Oh shit, I'm… fuck…" Jasper warned me about Esme's sensitivity to language, but apparently my coping involves copious amounts of profanity, "I'm sorry, my mouth runs away with me."

Carlisle chuckles and Esme's face tinges with pink once more. She placates me, "It's understandable, Edward. I'm so pleased to have you, my son, back in my life that I wouldn't care if you cursed like a trucker. So… I expect you're wondering why we wanted to talk with you in private?"

In fact I've been dying to know why all this awkwardness was orchestrated, so I sit a little straighter and nod, "I did wonder." I admit.

Esme speaks, "As you know, Victoria Masen took you from me when you were born. She kidnapped me when I was pregnant and held me for ransom. What you probably don't know is how deep the connection went, why she would purposely raise you as her own child, and how she got away with it all. We don't have all the answers, but we're searching, and hopefully before too long we can piece together the entirety of these answers.

"We believe that Victoria Masen's birth family, the Tenorios was involved with the Volturi ever since their inception in Italy. Victoria already had a small child, James, that nobody in polite society knew about and she was already working for the Volturi. As part of her mission, she attempted to seduce Carlisle in order to gain his trust and influence his political allegiances. She lived in London and was presented as a socially acceptable match for Carlisle. It is my understanding that her family promoted her as much as they could, but when he chose me instead, an American diplomat's daughter, he denied the Volturi a very powerful potential ally.

"Victoria married Frank Masen in order to spite me. I'm not sure why she thought I would care, except that Frank was an attaché of my father's and had been mildly infatuated with me. I think he convinced Victoria that he was secretly my lover and she married him as an act of petty revenge.

"Regardless of why, Frank gave her access to my family and my father. He was manipulative as she was and used his position with my father to attempt to cause a scandal to destroy my father's career. It backfired when Masen was caught with incriminating documents in his personal safe. Frank was unofficially banned from the United States, since he happened to be out of the country when the evidence was uncovered. Everyone assumed that Victoria would simply go away in disgrace, but she had no intention of leaving well enough alone.

"Carlisle and I were aware of Victoria's hatred for us, but we didn't know about the Volturi, Sanctum, or any other connections with subterfuge. He was simply a doctor and I was his wife.

"Victoria's name resurfaced in society about two months before I was kidnapped. She was livid that I had become pregnant, and saw an opportunity to both get what the Volturi wanted from Carlisle and break my spirit. Frank was already safely away in the country, and Victoria was focused solely on her own bruised ego. She kidnapped me, and the rest I assume you know. Jasper and Alice know at least that much."

I feel my face heat and know I'm probably blushing. Suddenly it seems a little too personal to already know so much about Esme's past, given what she's been through. She raises a hand to keep me from apologizing, "Edward, my history is no secret. I'm with Sanctum as a result of Victoria's spite and hatred, so the fact that my people know my story is not an issue. If anything, I hope it allays some of their fear that I might just be a spiteful or bitter person for no reason. As for them sharing my past with you… Jasper knew I would tell you soon anyway, and Alice is my closest friend."

I ponder this information for a moment, trying to piece together everything I've learned, "So Victoria never confronted you directly?" I ask, wanting to understand the whole picture, "And you don't know whose baby was stillborn?"

Carlisle jumps in, "Actually, we are almost certain that the stillborn baby was Victoria's. My brother Alistair was already part of Sanctum when Esme was kidnapped. It was thanks to him that we were able to rescue her and beat the deadline. If not for Alistair, I would have lent my support to several Volturi candidates for parliament.

"Later, we learned that when Victoria surfaced shortly before Esme was kidnapped, she was purported to be pregnant. We assume that she and Masen had conceived a child."

"And James is not Frank Masen's child?" I ask. In retrospect, James and Frank don't share many physical commonalities, but I'd always assumed because of James' name.

Carlisle answers once more, "No, James is almost certainly the child of Caius Volturi, though for obvious reasons, Victoria chose not to give him his father's surname. We believe that she changed James' name to Masen in the hope that with Frank's connections, she could foster a legitimate social life and have less eyebrows raised, regardless of the fact that James was born over a year before she even _met _Masen."

"Why didn't anyone realize I wasn't Victoria's son? I don't understand. I look nothing like either Victoria or Frank. I was almost certain I wasn't their son when I was twelve. How did nobody else notice?"

Esme frowns and looks down at her hands, "Edward… nobody knew you existed outside the Volturi. There is no record in our international database of anyone by the name 'Edward Masen'. That was actually the first thing Carlisle checked when he found out your name."

Carlisle breaks in, "The only reason we didn't question your identity immediately is that Rosalie and Jasper didn't mention your appearance and we had always assumed Victoria had another child based on the information we had. We never…"

"You never knew I existed," I say it bitterly even though I don't really blame them. Esme sobs softly and buries her head in Carlisle's shoulder. I wince a little, "I never felt like I belonged. Growing up, I had no mother and Frank was barely conscious enough to be called a father. Victoria hauled me away from Frank when I was twelve and put me into boot camp. I ended up figuring out that the Volturi were oppressive very quickly because I was gay, which seems to be less of a big deal here than with the Volturi. I excelled in my lessons but 'lacked the killer instinct'. Then there was the entire animosity between Victoria, James and me. I never lived up to their _expectations," _I bite off the word as a curse, "I was soft and weak. I never killed for the Volturi, and so I got passed around from team to team until nobody would work with me. When that happened, Victoria packed me away to work under James.

"I don't blame you, but I… can't…" I teeter on the edge of pushing the rest of my pain out, "I can't just forget either. They stole my childhood. They stole my life. I want them brought to justice, Victoria, James… Frank even."

Esme stiffens slightly at the mention of Frank's name, but I don't think anything of it.

Half an hour later, I've shared the rest of my pertinent history, leaving out some of the goriest details. They in turn fill me in on their future plans, specifically that Esme intends to return to London, the place where this all started. I can see that Carlisle is reluctant to commit to yet another operation, but when I relate to Esme my desire to accompany them, he bows his head reluctantly. I think of Jasper and my heart constricts. I asked him if he would give up Sanctum, but what if he's ready now? Will I be able to go on to London without him?

I feel that we've exhausted all the topics that Esme and Carlisle intended to talk with me about, "I do have a personal request." They both turn their full attention to me, "I feel useless. I'm grateful that you've trusted me enough to let me be unrestrained, but I would much rather contribute. I've been waiting for so long to help undo some of the heinous atrocities the Volturi have committed… Would it be possible for me to take an active role in Sanctum?" I feel a drop of sweat slip down my neck. This is the moment when they will either choose to trust me or will weight my past heavily against me. Esme smiles softly.

"Of course you can help, Edward. I think you would do very well with Garrett's field team, provided that you wish to be 'active' in a physical way. If not we can always assign you to Bella."

I sigh in relief, "I would prefer Garrett's team, Mrs.. erm.. Mom."

Esme gasps and Carlisle smiles broadly.

"Now about my name?" I venture.

* * *

><p>I return to my room an hour later, collapse on my bed, and drift off slowly as I think of tomorrow. I'll be working <em>with <em>Sanctum. I'll be able to do my part against the Volturi. Jasper is with me…

I wake from the most amazing dream to find that it's a reality. Jasper's lips wrap around my engorged dick and his tongue laps at my flesh. His fingers dig into my hips hard enough to bruise, "Holy fuck, Jasper, oh god yes." He smiles and hums around my cock, sucking noisily. My hips buck against his iron grip as he holds me to the bed to keep me from squirming. He hasn't gone down on me since the apartment, and I revel in the sensations shooting through my body as his heated mouth envelops my aching shaft. I feel myself build to a climax in an embarrassingly short amount of time, "Fuck, Jasper… I'm gonna…" He groans, sliding his head down until my entire cock disappears into his amazing lips and the sensation causes me to unravel. My penis throbs one last time and begins to pulse in release. He swallows my load and smiles, still sucking softly as my sensitive shaft begins to deflate.

He pulls away and I whimper at the friction, "I thought we could try something new today," My breath catches. I've been trying to convince him that I'm well enough, but he's resisted until now.

"I-is that so?" I try to keep my tone casual, but the thought of him filling me causes it to come out as a plea. He grins.

"Well, unless you don't feel up to it."

"Oh god, Jas. Fuck… yes I want you in me so much." I pull him up and see that while he's undressed me, he is still completely clothed. I grip his shirt and pull him down for a searing kiss, tasting my essence on his lips.

Together we get rid of his clothes in an incredibly short amount of time, his naked body fairly glows in the soft yellow lamplight. I run my fingers down his torso as he straddles my waist. His body arches under my touch and once again I feel my heart stutter as I realize the effect I have on him. His muscles bunch and relax as my fingers trail over them, ghosting across his flesh. His cock is weeping freely and I slowly work my way down his chest to his abs and finally his rigid erection. He gasps as I run my fingers lightly over his length, and my own dick hardens instantly at the sound. I tease the head of his cock, smearing the liquid beading at his tip across the turgid flesh, "Edward, I'm …" he gasps as I squeeze gently, "I'm not going to last if you keep…" I release his throbbing shaft and pull him down for a kiss. He grinds against me, and I can't wait until he repeats the motion, sliding into me.

"I'm ready." I whisper and he smiles against my mouth. He slides sensuously down my sweat-slicked skin, pausing to grind against my aching cock. I whimper pitifully at the stimulation. He pulls a tube and a small foil packet out of his discarded pants. I feel my dick twitch in anticipation. He plants soft kisses down my torso as he opens the tube and slicks his fingers. I feel the cool slippery liquid as he circles my center with a finger.

He presses gently and a bolt of desire shoots through me. I push against his finger and it slips in easily, captured by my canal. He hisses and pumps the lubricated digit in further. I've never felt anything like it, though I've often wished that Jack and I had gone further. The sensation is foreign, but evokes a longing deep within me, "Fuck, I need more, Jasper. God yes." He works his finger around, coaxing my muscles to relax at the intrusion. I feel the ring of muscle relax slightly and then he adds another finger. He works it in and the pressure I feel increases. The feeling isn't particularly pleasant, I need to feel what Jasper feels. He curls his fingers inside me, probing gently, and suddenly a wave of pleasure arcs through my entire body, "God yes, right there!" He prods gently again, and my body tenses again at the throbbing pleasure. He grins and plants a kiss at the tip of my cock, causing me to buck against him. His fingers brush against my prostate again and I feel myself coming undone with the pressure and need.

"Jasper, now… I can't…" I can't wait anymore. He senses my desperation and scissors his fingers, trying to relax me more. The pressure subsides a little and I feel myself relax once more. He pushes a third finger and I keen in need.

"I need to, Edward. It will be too painful otherwise," his tone is gentle as he tries to calm my aching desire. I writhe against his hand as he finishes preparing me. He withdraws and the empty feeling is more than I can bear, I feel a tear of need slip down my cheek.

"God, I need…" I feel his slick length press against my entrance and the pressure brings back the feeling of fullness. I push against him and his thick cock slips past the ring of muscle, penetrating me. The pressure of his fingers is nothing in comparison. I feel him with my entire body, pressing into my core. He slides slowly further, stretching, claiming. I push against him wantonly, I need to recapture the fullness, the pleasure. His shaft brushes that spot and I scream his name, delirious from the sensations he elicits.

His hips touch my thighs gently, and I know he is fully seated within me. I feel complete. I need friction.

"Jasper… move…" He begins to thrust slowly, and I grip his arms as I push against every thrust, meeting him time after time. The tempo increases and still our bodies move as one being, whole and perfect.

"S-so tight, god Edward…." He moans my name over and over and I scream in pleasure every time his thrusts brush against my center. The pressure builds to a frenzy of skin and friction. I pull him close and my lips mould to his. Our breaths and vows mingle in the still air as the heat from our bodies sears the world to a shimmering veil of light. I feel my entire body tense just as he thrusts deeply, and I come explosively against his stomach. I feel my muscles clamp down and he shudders, my name slipping from his lips. A prayer, and an oath.

He slumps onto me and I support his weight easily, relishing the closeness, the feel of his hard body pressing me into the bed, claiming me once more as his own. I feel his breath, hear his pounding heart, and see the love in his eyes. All conscious thought abandons me and we sleep.

* * *

><p><em>2 weeks later<em>

The hulking man circles me carefully. I watch his movement, primed to react to any indication his body gives as to his next attack. He stumbles a little on the uneven ground and I take advantage of the opening, bringing my knee up to his solar plexus. He evades the attack, springing his trap and his arm snakes around my thigh. He yanks on my leg, pulling me off balance. I brace my weight on his massive arm and swing my other leg around to clip him in the lower back. He grunts as my leg connects and drops me, giving me time to roll away and back up onto my feet.

I eye him warily as his features break into a sinister smirk. He closes with me, feinting to try and distract from his main attack, but I realize he's attempting to go body-to-body and take full advantage of his superior stature and bulk. I bow forward, allowing him to wrap an arm around my torso from above, then I push off from the ground, catching him by surprise and kicking him in the upper back with both heels. I hold his head in both hands as he once again releases me involuntarily. His arms flail to try and pry me from my perch around his shoulders, but I squeeze harder and feel him sink slowly to the floor.

I release him once I'm sure he's unconscious and start to back away. He lunges up and locks me into a bear hug. My bones grate against one another as if they will crumble from the intensity of pressure. I growl and bring both arms up as high as I can, attempting to smash my knuckles into the side of his head, but I can't reach. Instead I focus on the joint of one of his shoulders. I pinch and hear him growl in frustration as I refuse to go down. I feel my breath draining slowly away as he grins.

"Yield," I squeak out just before the world goes black and he releases me. I slump into Emmett's arms bonelessly and Jasper rushes up.

"Emmett, you could have gone easy on him, he got shot three weeks ago." He scolds, Emmett mutters unkindly and Rose comes up and lays a hand on his arm and shoulder.

"Don't blame him, Jasper, if he went easy, Honey here would have trounced him.. again."

"Rosie, you're supposed to be on _my _side. Don't keep bringing up the freak's victories." For the first time ever, I hear Emmett practically whine, and suddenly the pain in my side is worth it. I laugh weakly and he scowls at me.

Alice bounces up, "Well, I called it again, where's my money, bub?" she holds out her hand to Jasper who grudgingly hands over a twenty. I turn to Jasper and embrace him, he holds me upright as Alice goes bouncing off.

"Figures the one time Alice doesn't bet on you you'd lose. That's what… 6-1?"

"7-1 actually," I say a little smugly, Emmett glares at me and Rose stifles something that looked suspiciously like a laugh. I rub the side of my neck, "Don't feel bad about it, gigantor, you're the first person to beat me in like… four years of sparring. I think we're pretty evenly matched, for all that we have completely contradictory fighting styles." Emmett grunts graciously.

Jasper smirks at Emmett, "That'll teach you to ambush people in order to challenge them to a sparring match, eh Em?"

Emmett huffs and stalks off in the direction of his room. Rosalie trails after him. Just before he leaves the training area he turns around and shouts, "Same time tomorrow, Honey." I nod and roll my eyes at Jasper.

Emmett leaves and Alice pipes up, "I've got fifty bucks on Edward for tomorrow's win, any takers?"

I smile at Jasper and pull him toward the locker rooms. There's a sauna in there and I've been dying to try it out.

* * *

><p><em>From the personal Journal of Esme Cullen<em>

_August 29, 2011_

I feel that our time here in Seattle has come to a close. We have only a few leads left and most of our family has thankfully moved on.

We have received reliable intelligence from Alistair that James has arrived back in London. Coupled with Edward's information about Royce King, and the ever burning ache to see Victoria brought to Justice, those of us who will carry on have come to this crossroad.

Bella asked me to keep an eye on Jasper. I think she worries because of the length to which he has pushed himself to protect my son. I confided her wishes to Carlisle and he assured me that he has spoken to Jasper. It warms my heart to see Edward and Jasper together. They remind me so much of myself and Carlisle, though the pall of the Volturi had already tarnished their lives before they met. They bring each other to life, and I feel that their love may save them and us.

Edward is brave to carry on with us, especially with the threat of Victoria and James. At first I feared his motives for joining us were purely selfish, but after speaking to him privately, I see that his inner pain is a counterpoint to my own. He has lost so much more than I, but in is gaining himself back,back; I hope that our lives will be complete once this final task is finished.

I confided in Edward what I have never been unable to share with my loving Carlisle. He is one of the few that know of Frank Masen's death. I feared that to keep it from him would deny him closure and possibly spur him on to seek vengeance even after we finish our work in London. Edward did not ask questions about the act itself, merely confirmed that I was certain of Frank's death. I think he understands more than anyone the betrayal of the Masens. He has forsaken the name of Masen and has requested to be called simply Edward. I believe he doesn't want to take the name Cullen, perhaps because he looks to a time when he can simply be Edward Whitlock. I cannot bring myself to feel slighted or sad at this. Our family has not had a happy legacy. Perhaps with the miracle of Edward's return, our narrative will have a joyful ending after all.

I have sent notification to our government liasonliaison, detailing the closure of Sanctum's operations on US soil. I believe that with the fall of Masen's unit here, these shores are safe from Volturi interference. I feel the time of the Volturi dwindling. We have accomplished in four years what it once took twelve to carry through. In London I hope we may once again find that our efforts will reach fruition rapidly.

Alice has vowed to see this through until Victoria is dealt with and Garrett has informed me that he will join us. They do not wish to leave this struggle to us alone, and I love Alice the more for her support and loyalty. Rosalie and Edward have talked. She and Emmett journey with us to London to confront the man who brutalized her. I believe that she will find peace when Royce King is dealt with. I have yet to speak to Jasper about Edward's joining us in London. I only hope that Jasper will not see his time as served. I fear that Edward would not be able to choose between his love and his pain, as I have not been able to these twenty years.

Carlisle and I will go to London. I wish I could say with certainty that we will prevail in the end, but I feel my body and spirit is slowing. The effects of so many years of hatred weigh heavily on my soul. Perhaps we will not be as active in Sanctum as once we were. I know that Carlisle yearns to return to his calling as a physician to the innocent. I admit that my greatest regret in all this is no longer my time spent in captivity, but rather the captivity I have doomed Carlisle to all these long years. How his love for me endures I shall never know.

The hour is late, for now my family is safe, and tomorrow will wait until its appointed time.

* * *

><p>Jpov<p>

Edward asked me if I intended to come to London with him. I fear I overreacted a little, shouting at his idiocy until he looked sufficiently cowed and ashamed of himself. He is adorable when he feels he has done something wrong. I couldn't resist jumping him once more.

When we lay quietly in bed hours later, limbs a tangle and skin overheated with passion, he asked me if I regretted joining Sanctum. He wondered why I had done so, given that none of my blood relatives had suffered directly. I told him what Charlie once told me, "The family we're born with will forever be in our hearts, but the family we choose dwells in our very souls."

**A/N I hope this meets expectations, I'll try not to leave either of my stories for so long this time :D Thanks for reading!**


	10. Hello, London

**A/N all the usual disclaimers and warnings.**

**This chapter is currently unbeta'd. I'm going to be away and I wanted to post it before I left, so when I get back, I'll update with the modified version ^^**

Chapter 10 – Hello, London

Apov

_1 month later_

"Gary? Love, where have you got to?" I peered around the corner of our flat, searching for my husband. I hadn't heard the lift, so I assumed he was still in the flat, but he had no doubt squirreled himself away, "Love, where are you hiding? Have you had to use the loo?"

Garrett stalked around the corner, "Alice, you have _got _to stop pretending to be British. Your accent is terrible."

"What are you on about?" Honestly, as if I would ever fail, even if I _were_ pretending to be British, which I wasn't, most emphatically. I would give him a piece of my mind, tosser, "Listen, just because you thing I've gone round the bend or something, doesn't mean you can go on about it. It's no trouble of mine if you can't handle some people being a little cultured. At least I don't go round other people's countries acting like a yank."

Garrett's eyes narrowed to slits, "Alice, you're going to get us thrown out of our apartment if you keep this charade up. People probably already think you're insane."

"That's it, isn't it? You think I'm mental? Well, I don't have to listen to this rubbish. I'm going out, and if you feel like laying off of this ridiculous notion you've got, you can find me with Jasper and Edward at that lovely pub we found the other day." Garrett sighed as I punched the button for the lift and waited for it to arrive.

"Just promise me if the police pick you up for 'impersonating a citizen of the empire' or something you won't call them 'bobbies' to their faces. I'm serious, Ali."

"Fine," I huff, "If the bobbies give me trouble, I'll call them 'constable' and I won't insult them to their faces. Are you satisfied, wanker?"

Garrett threw his hands up in the air and stalked off, growling. The lift arrived and I got on and went to the lobby.

We've been in London for about two weeks. At first, there was some nervous chatter about where we would stay, how we would integrate with the current Sanctum op, and who would be in charge. Esme and Carlisle stepped aside as far as organization of operations was concerned. Jason Jenks, the man who currently heads this Sanctum op is an old friend of theirs, so they didn't really mind letting him take point. Jasper was welcomed into their medical, but since he was with Edward, he decided to live away from Sanctum. Poor Edward wasn't accepted readily here. For having sent the request over six weeks ago, this Peter chap still hasn't shown up to vouch for him. It's a load of rubbish to us, but the chappies running the show out here talk about 'protocol'. Complete pain in the arse, if you ask me.

Anyway, as I was saying, Edward and Jasper decided to get a flat, which Jasper wanted to pay for, then we all found out that Edward is seriously loaded. I'm thinking of shagging him myself if I can get some of that moolah. They're disgustingly happy all the time, even when they're not together they go on and on about one another. Rosalie and Emmett were only too happy to resume living in a Sanctum headquarters. Emmett likes the attention he gets when he helps out with training, and the more people Rose has around to torment, the better her mood. Seth came with us, which I had sort of been expecting, seeing as how his sister is a bigwig in London. He keeps mooning over Jasper, which drives Edward up the wall. I think that Jasper secretly likes it, because from what I've gathered, possessive Edward is the only one that will let Jasper take it up the arse, otherwise he's a complete … well… that wouldn't be polite to tell you. That leaves Garrett and me. For some reason people have been on and on about how weird I'm being. I swear Garrett paid them to give me trouble about this supposed accent I've fostered. They should all just leave off already.

So there you have it, all of us here in London town, mostly content but for some complete crap about me. We're mainly waiting until this chap shows back up. He's supposedly gathering intel that will help with the takedown of this branch, including the current whereabouts of Victoria and Royce.

* * *

><p>Jpov<p>

"Do you think Alice is still pretending to be British?" Edward asked, grinning over his pint.

"God, if she is, then just shoot me in the face. I swear I never suspected she'd be so… obsessive. Granted, I've never really seen her in an element not filled with stress, but seriously." I sipped my whisky, leaning against Edward as the cool liquid burnt its way down my throat, "I'm happy that she's so, uh… enthusiastic? About all this, but if I have to hear anything about what a wanker Garrett is, I'm going to punch her in the face. After this whole thing is over, we'll probably need bad accent rehabilitation therapy. It's even getting on Carlisle's nerves." Edward turned his head to give me a kiss, and I slipped an arm around his waist possessively when I saw a barman eyeing my man in interest. One lovely thing about this city is that nobody cares if you're gay. It's way less homophobic than anywhere stateside.

"I think I could learn to live here, if not for the exceptionally tiny cars, bad traffic, and of course the whole driving on the wrong side of the road thing." Edward looked at me in horrified shock.

"You can't be serious! Jasper Whitlock would move away from the continent with Texas and his mother?" I shoved him playfully as he chuckled.

"I qualified my statement, you big bully. It's not like you'd ever be fully comfortable here in London anyway." He sobered and I felt bad for bringing up his past, "I shouldn't have… I'm sorry Edward." He pulled me flush to his side and smiled sadly.

"We can't change the past, Jas, but you're right… I don't think I'd ever want to live here again, not with the memories of what I've done."

I downed the rest of my whiskey, hissing as the liquid seared my throat, "It's not what you've done, darlin', it's the Volturi, just remind yourself of that when you start to feel guilty."

He pulled away, "That's the problem, Jas, I can't just let it go at that. I feel like I had the opportunity to reach out to Jack when he was so filled with rage that he just wanted a target to shoot at. I lost that chance, threw it away because I was a fucking coward. You didn't see how it broke him, how _they _broke him. I should have… done… something."

I saw a tear glimmer on his cheek for a moment before he reached up and brushed it away under the pretense of scratching his head. I nuzzled my nose into his neck, trying to comfort or distract him. He downed the last of his beer and laughed wetly at himself, "I should order a bottle of wine if I'm going to go all maudlin. No more moping for me, sexy beast. We're going to suffer through 'afternoon tea' with Alice, and then I'm going to take you home and you're going to have your wicked way with me."

I smiled and absently wondered if Seth was anywhere in the vicinity, I hadn't seen possessive Edward in almost a week, and I was getting the itch. We'd come to a mutually fulfilling arrangement, but sometimes I just love the feeling of Edward claiming me. I know he'd do it more often if I only asked, but I love when it's his idea the most. Maybe we'll go clubbing sometime so that he can get all growly and demanding.

"Hullo chaps!" I rolled my eyes at Edward as Alice flounced into her chair. Two words and we already knew she hadn't given up on her embarrassingly loud and offensive parroting of our host country's slang.

"What's up twat?" Edward asked in a perfect British accent. If I'd had any liquid in my mouth, I would have spewed it halfway across the bar, as it was Alice nearly shrieked in outrage. Edward backpedaled, "Did I use that word wrongly? Isn't it supposed to mean 'female friend'?" Alice glared at him.

"For someone who lived in London for eight years, one would _think _you'd be more sensitive to the slang of the country. 'Twat' is an offensive slang, similar to 'wanker'. I'd thank you not to refer to me as such for the remainder of our stay here, lest I be forced to tell Jasper what you said about Garrett's ponytail being extremely hot."

Edward turned red, plan having backfired. I shoved him lightly, "Ere', what's this then? You fancy Alice's man?" I said in my most atrocious Cockney accent, "We'll have a cuppa to discuss this, we will. You'll be singin' a different tune come tomorrow, you unfaithful bastard."

Alice turned her glare on me, "What is it with you two and your barmy British accents? Everyone says that I'm doing it, but you two are insufferable. I should call the Yard and see you clapped in irons."

Edward and I shared a look and burst out laughing, "Alice… you should definitely call 'the Yard' and tell them to 'clap us in irons'. I'd pay to see that." I collapsed against Edward, still chuckling mightily.

"Why?" Alice's expression was suspicious.

"Oh, Alice," Edward answered, "Someday we're going to play a tape of how you sound when you're in England, and we're going to play another tape of how you sound in America, and you'll understand why everyone has been giving you a hard time."

I nodded affably, in total agreement with my man. Alice's face grew stormy, "I'm not trying to be British or anything, you jerks have just been conspiring with Garrett to make me feel bad. If you don't want to have afternoon tea, you could just say it." She pouted incorrigibly, sticking her lower lip out and trying to make herself cry. I sighed, used to this type of behavior when she thought the world was out to get her. Alice might have been a brilliant strategist, almost prescient in her information gathering skills, and ruthless when it came to doling out truth, but she had the emotional fragility of a teenager sometimes.

"Alice, stop pouting, you're not really upset because you just don't believe us." I glared at her intensely until her angry expression vanished, "Don't make Edward feel bad, he's been dealing with some tough stuff as it is, and your tantrum won't help anything. For now, we'll agree to disagree on whether or not you're going native in the worst possible way, and ten years from now, we'll revisit the entire episode, and everyone will laugh at you when you continue to insist that you weren't doing a fake British accent. Do we have a deal?"

Alice shoved away from the table and stalked off without saying anything else to us. I looked at Edward and shrugged, she would get over it… hopefully.

* * *

><p><em>1 week later<em>

The strobe lights in the club pulsed with the beat of music. I hadn't ever been to a gay club before, and from what Edward had said, the man we were meeting was a Volturi. I was confused, "I thought you said the Volturi were exclusively homophobic?"

He leaned close to hear me over the din of dancing, laughing, and music, "They are."

I frowned at him, "Then why the fuck does one of their agents own a gay club?" He laughed and pulled me close.

"It's not a gay club; this is just a one night deal. I thought we could hang out for awhile after we get this guy out in the open." He frowned at me, evidently interpreting my questions as concern or discomfort, "We could come back another time if you want, love." I felt myself flush a little at the endearment.

As a result of moving back to London, however temporarily, Edward had picked up a twinge of the accent he'd hidden during his time in Seattle. He started calling me 'love' absently, and I still blushed every time he said it. I shook my head, "I want to stay," I pulled him close so that our hips connected and swayed gently against him, matching the rhythm. His eyes drifted closed as he snaked his hands around my neck and leaned into the contact. We danced for a few minutes, lost in the freedom of the experience. Almost simultaneously, we drew back from each other, both remembering why we had come, what could happen if we were caught.

"You're sure we'll be safe? He won't know that you've defected?" I spoke softly into Edward's ear, not wanting to be overheard, "If you have any doubts, we need to leave before getting in too deep. You know I can't protect you, so tell me the truth. Could he know?"

Edward cupped my face gently, "It'll be fine, love." He assured me, "Eleazar was my contact because I sought him out and befriended him. After I saved his life in a particularly nasty incident with the Chinese, he quit the Volturi to focus on this place. As far as I know, he still keeps tabs on everyone. He probably knows that I've defected, but he owes me enough that he won't just turn me in.

* * *

><p><em>3 years ago<em>

Epov

The press of bodies is claustrophobic after the austere ascetic element of life in the Volturi. I press through the throng, trying not to breathe too deeply. A sweetly herbal scent wafts through the air, and I feel feminine hands brush up and down my body as women of all shapes and sizes tug at my black canvas clothes. I'm _definitely _not conspicuous. Undercover work in clubs blows. I should have worn rubber or something if I wanted to fit in, not combat clothes. I spot a woman in combat boots and a thong… really? Then I spot a man in combat boots and some sort of lycra leotard. I shove through the rest of the crowd and try not to look at anyone else, combat boots or no.

Eleazar is going to be pissed that I've tracked him down… well, I think he will. The entire drama unfolding shouldn't surprise me, after the rocky start I got off to with Royce. Of course he would assign me to work on a solo reconnaissance mission that tied back to the triads. I'm not sure why I'm surprised that short men are chasing me with machine guns and vespas, but the less I know the better. That's quickly turning into my motto, and I couldn't be less pleased.

Recounting the last few days… I got caught surveilling a Triad drug deal; they assumed I was MI 5. I evaded their initial attempts to capture me, only to have them call the other Triad gangs around the city. This resulted in hundreds of Chinese men and women chasing me around London as I tried vainly to contact Royce for extraction. I hid out in a church, and was almost impaled when they found me and shot up the entire place, causing the cross to fall a few meters from me, so I'm pretty sure I'm damned. By the way, hat thing about churches granting sanctuary… so not true. I tried to get back to the Volturi, only to find that there is no way to cross the river without being caught. In retrospect, the Triads would probably be in a lot better place financially if they would just let the little fish (namely me) go without expending such extensive resources in their efforts to capture me.

"What the hell are you doing in my club?" Eleazar is pissed, oh well, what's one ornery Irishman up against all of China?

"Can't I stop by to visit an old friend?" I ask mildly. He glares.

"We've never been _friends _Masen. Just because that tramp of a mother of yours saddled me with you as a contact doesn't mean I like you. You'd better leave before I have you removed, and if you're lucky, I'll forget about this the next time I fall under Volturi scrutiny. You know very well that I don't deal with your kind anymore. I have my own life, my business, and my grandkids to fill my days now. I don't need trouble of the sort that follows people like you around."

As if I didn't know he was into more than just club ownership. I nearly scoff in his face. When he mentions his grandkids I feel a little bad. I wish that someone had cared enough for me to keep me out of the fire like he's doing for his family.

"If you must know, I've r—" The door to Eleazar's office explodes inward and a Triad gunman steps into the small room, leveling his pistol at Eleazar and squeezing the trigger. I tackle the older man to the ground and spin, firing off a quick shot and dropping the gunman. There's a scuffle outside as Eleazar's guards take care of the rest of the Triad members who managed to track me down, but no other reaction to the gunshots. Evidently the club goers are too sloshed or too high to be properly frightened.

I roll to my feet and Eleazar gets up shakily, "You… you should go, Masen. I don't know why you're here, but I want no part of that life. I only swap information for the Volturi because they'd kill me if I didn't."

I nod and turn to leave; he restrains me and jerks his head toward the back door, "You can take the back way out, it leads to a private boat that can leave you on either side of the river… And Masen… You didn't have to save me; maybe you aren't as bad as her." It's the closest thing to a thank you I'll ever hear from him. I suppose it's also the highest compliment he could pay. Victoria muscled Eleazar out of the Volturi mainstream, much as he claims it was his choice. I read the file. She didn't like that he went soft and refused to recruit his children, so she tossed him out. He still provides Intel, but he has virtually no pull beyond his vast experience.

* * *

><p><em>3 hours later <em>

When I finally return to base, Royce is waiting.

"Does she know?" I demand, knowing he'll play dumb.

"Know what?" His placating tone infuriates me.

"Know that you gave me an assignment that should have had at least three members on it. Know that you tried to hang me out to dry, leaving me to fend for myself when everything went cockeyed. Know that you very nearly got me killed from some petty jealousy shit." I stalk down the corridor toward Victoria's office, Royce trailing after me, unconcerned.

He snorts in derision, "As if she would care if she did. You're nothing but a pawn, and that's what you'll always be you gutless puke. Besides," he draws closer, dropping his voice to a whisper, "if you're out of the picture, there won't be anyone between me and the top when she finally kicks it."

I feel my blood run cold. He's done it on purpose. He wants me dead, and he's using his influence to saddle me with impossible assignments. How long can I run?

"You'll never…" I realize I have no cards. I'll have to step carefully, because Victoria obviously won't back me if it comes to a confrontation with Royce, "I won't go down easily, and if you try anything directly, I _will _kill you."

He laughs in my face and walks off. As he rounds the corner, I slump to the wall. I have to get the fuck out of here.

* * *

><p><em>Present Day<em>

Jpov

We came out of the crowd on the other side, slightly worse for wear. Someone had unbuttoned my shirt all the way down, and Edward's hair was as mussed as it ever got. We had a shared moment of jealousy as we saw the effect of the crowd on each other and Edward yanked me to him roughly, sliding his hands up my sides possessively as he sucked on my collarbone, marking me as his. I groaned and ran my fingers through his hair, tugging gently to spur him on. He pulled away, breathing ragged, and a glint of triumph crossed his face, "Mine." He growled in my ear before releasing me and turning to lead me toward the back of the club.

I buttoned my shirt quickly and checked to see that nothing else was out of place. We passed a couple of hulking bouncers on our way to the office, and Edward nodded to one, evidently recognizing him. I saw two of the men share a glance and felt my stomach clench uncomfortably.

"You're sure?" I whispered. Edward nodded, rapping on the door to announce our presence.

The door swung open to reveal an older man with salt and pepper hair, cut short and carefully groomed. His face was lined with age, but there was a recent scar marring his entire left cheek. He wore a dapper three-piece suit with a trilby hat, and subsequently reminded me of a character out of a 50s movie. Behind him was an opulent office with velvet paneled walls and warm tiffany lamps. I almost smiled at the cliché of it all, but the situation was more serious than that. The man clearly recognized Edward, judging from his reaction. He gave each of us the once over as Edward sized up his old acquaintance. I heard Edward inhale sharply as he reached Eleazar's face in his perusal and the old man's mouth twisted in a scowl.

"Edward Masen," he spat, "If I hadn't already heard rumors that you've abandoned them, you'd be dead by now. You're lucky I'm in a good mood." He jerked his head for us to follow and retreated into his office.

"What happened to you, Eleazar?" Edward gestured to the scar covering half of the old man's face; his eye was almost an invisible slit in the mass of torn flesh. Eleazar slumped into the poofy leather chair behind his claw-footed desk.

"Triad," Edward tensed visibly, "Not because of you, boy. Victoria set them on me about a year ago. She claimed I was meddling."

"How did she…?"

"As near as I can figure, she found out that I helped you out of that jam and didn't like it... I retract my previous statement. It's entirely your fault, just not in the way you were thinking. After hearing about your move to Seattle, I began digging. Turns out she had been getting pressure from above to retire you, especially after your little showdown with the twins. Seems that you were a liability, something about Victoria's blood… I only caught chatter, but they seemed to think your family background made you dangerous.

"Anyway, like I said, I was investigating and poking my nose in where it didn't belong. She had suspected my involvement with the triad incident, and it turned out that she knew about the assignment all along. King was gently encouraged to put you in harm's way, and when it didn't work, she figured it was bad luck. She stumbled upon some Triad file that implicated me and she wasn't happy. She pulled me in for 'follow up debrief' as if I couldn't see through that sack of shit. I'm afraid I got a little carried away. I was always too fond of you, you little shit. Victoria reacted badly." The man mimicked spitting on the ground in disgust, "Volturi have no family loyalty. I'm well rid of them, and I thank whatever powers that be that I got out before it poisoned my family like it has yours, Masen. I'll never sully my hands with them again."

Edward shifted uncomfortably. I understood his tension, since he had been convinced that this contact would still have usable information about current Volturi operations. Clearly he was out of the loop.

"I'm not a Masen; my parents are Esme and Carlisle Cullen." Eleazar looked confused for a moment, and then pulled a gun from his desk with a look of panic. He held it in a shaking hand.

"So that's the score, eh? Esme Cullen is a murderer as much as Victoria Masen is." Eleazar intoned, and his voice was laden with resignation and a little sadness, "is that it? Have you come to finish me, then? I won't make it easy."

Edward held up a hand, "I'm working with Sanctum _against _Victoria. I thought you were still in the game, and I wanted to know if you had any actionable Intel about personnel or ops that we could use to expose their weaknesses. I swear I didn't know you had fallen out with the Volturi. I haven't had access to the old personnel records in over two years, not since I left for Seattle. I don't have any intention of hurting you, Eleazar; you saved my life as surely as I saved yours. I have no loyalty for Victoria and no compunction to kill you or anyone else who is an enemy of the Volturi."

"Well, well… I think I'd be more comfortable if I knew what brought about this sudden shift in allegiance. Did it happen because you found your true parentage? Or were there… other factors involved?" Eleazar raised his eyebrows questioningly, and Edward narrowed his eyes.

"That would be telling, I expect." The old man dropped the gun and let forth a startling burst of laughter.

"Very well, boy, have it your way. I'll tell you what you want to know, though I'm going to have to ask your friend to step outside. Not like killing me would do you any good in the long run anyway. You I trust; him, not so much." I frowned at Edward, wondering what he expected me to do. His shoulders tensed as he glanced from Eleazar's face to mine. He fiddled with the leather cuff around his wrist and sighed before nodding assent.

"Jasper, it's alright, I'll be fine. Wait outside."

I wanted to grab his hand, but Eleazar had been Volturi for a long time. Whether or not he had a gay night at his club was a matter of economics, not morality. If he suspected Edward was gay, he had made no overt indication, and I wouldn't make an issue of it, because Edward had asked me not to. I nodded and stood, stepping over to the door and pushing it open without a backward glance.

When I wasn't with Edward, and didn't have anything to occupy my time, I realized exactly how far out of my element I was. The bouncers leered at me, standing quietly but imposingly on either side of Eleazar's office door. I felt exposed in my club garb, which Alice had picked out for me. I played with the cuff of the dark blue button up shirt that was evidently very easy to unbutton (if our trip through the crowd was any indication).

The relentless pulses of music drown out any tranquility that might have threatened to relax me, leaving a ball of tension and worry behind. When the bouncers started whispering among themselves, punctuating their conversation with glances in my direction, I got so uncomfortable that I moved away, wishing fervently that Edward were with me.

I made my way carefully to the bar while attempting to sidestep any propositions or wandering hands. Being only partly successful, I still made it to the bar unscathed, and quickly hopped onto a barstool at the very end. The mahogany of the bar gave way to dull gray wall and I scrunched into the corner to avoid the awkwardness of anyone else grabbing my ass. The bartender was a woman and I sighed in relief. She passed me a drink and told me it was from the 'bloke' at the other end of the bar. I made the mistake of looking where she pointed. My eyes locked with the guy and he hopped off his stool.

Before I could formulate a suitable escape plan that would still leave me in line of sight to Eleazar's office, the guy jumped up into the seat beside me, "Hullo, my name's Theo, what's yours?" I'm pretty sure I blanched, which he took for shyness rather than discomfiture, "Come on, gorgeous. It's the least you could do." I smiled shakily, wishing he would just leave me alone.

"J-Jasper." I held out a hand and he took it, bringing it to his lips and pressing a wet kiss to the back. It wasn't Edward, so the kiss did absolutely nothing except inspire me to wipe my now wet hand onto 'Theo's' shirt. I pulled my hand away more forcefully than was necessary.

"Jasper is an odd name… it suits you." He decided after a moment of hesitation. _Well shit, _I thought, _Now that I have your blessing, it validates my entire existence! You've just single-handedly made me realize that my name is suitable. Maybe we can date._

I must have snorted, which he probably took as a sign of good humor. He drew as close as he could without climbing onto my stool and started chattering away, completely ignoring the fact that I was using the drink as a shield between us.

Just as I was about to move for the exit and tell Edward to meet me outside, I felt an arm slip around my waist and pull me from the chair. If it weren't for the instant relief I felt, I would have struck out, but the familiar buzz of heat down my side told me who it was, and as Edward held me close I snuggled into his chest. He snapped at Theo, but I was occupied with the immediate relief his presence brought and didn't hear what he said.

His arm remained curled around my side possessively as he practically hauled me out through the dance floor, "These assholes need to keep their hands off you, Jasper. It's alright, love, we're leaving now." Feeling much safer with Edward beside me, I protested.

"I'm fine, let's just dance. I know you wanted to come here for more than business, and I wanted to see what it was like. Don't let one jerk scare you away, darlin'." Edward looked at me, nodded, then pulled me close and began swaying gently. I pushed him away and spun in his arms, sliding my hands down his sides to his hips.

The beat of the music changed and I saw a couple grinding against each other obscenely. The feeling of Edward under my hands was enough to give me a raging hard on, so I pulled his hips flush to my ass, smirking when I felt his hard cock press into me. He shifted so his mouth was by my ear, "God, Jasper, if you wanted to molest me, you could always do that back at home." I ground my ass into him and looked over my shoulder. Seeing his eyes roll back and his head thrown to the side in passion solidified my good opinion of dancing with Edward.

"I want them to see me with you," I said and found that my voice was already thick with want, "You're mine, and I'm yours, Edward." I turned once more pulled him close, chest to chest, cock to cock. His eyes opened and I crashed my lips to his, watching his reaction as our tongues mingled, mirroring the closeness of the rest of our bodies. We broke apart after awhile and I melted into his embrace, and leaned on him as we continued to slide against each other. Every once in awhile, I heard Edward growl deep in his chest, and when I would look up, he would be glaring at someone. I almost asked him what he was doing the first time it happened, but his arms tightened around me and he slid one thigh between my legs, encasing me in his body. I understood that he was jealous and felt a tingle of arousal through my entire body.

I didn't question it or him, simply enjoyed the sensation every few minutes when he noticed another nobody eyeing me.

After about the twentieth time that he warded off an advance from one of the other club goers, he wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me to the entrance of the club, "We're leaving before I rip the eyes out of the next man that ogles you." He muttered. I smiled drowsily.

"You're the only one for me, darlin'." I dug myself further into his hold as he flagged down a taxi and pulled me in.

When we got back to the flat, he didn't even wait for the door to close before he tugged at my clothes, urging their removal. He pressed me up against the wall and closed me in with his legs on either side of mine, trapping me. I didn't mind at all. As I shed my garments, he alternated between pushing me up against various objects to claim my mouth and assault my flesh and pulling me toward the bed with an urgency I'd never seen before. By the time we reached the bedroom, I was completely naked and he was still fully dressed.

"Darlin', there's somethi—" He picked me up and threw me on the bed. I yelped in surprise, but Edward climbed on top of me and pinned me down, kissing his way down my neck to my bare chest. I couldn't move either hand, trapped as they were under his, and my legs he roughly spread apart, nudging forcefully until I hooked them around his thighs.

As he kissed his way to one nipple and sucked and bit it gently, he pulled my hands together, and I felt something slide around both my wrists and tighten. I gasped when I realized he was tying me to the bed and my legs tightened around his, "Fuck," I breathed and he smirked at me as he assaulted the other nipple. As soon as both his hands were free, Edward started teasing my naked flesh relentlessly. I squirmed and writhed under his expert taunting as he teased my body, leaving me quivering at the slightest touch. Using his mouth and tongue, he exploited my every weakness while completely ignoring my pleas for release.

More than once, I tugged needlessly at the tie fastened around my wrist, and the friction of silk against my immobilized arms emphasized the submission Edward was demanding.

Without touching my aching erection, he slid up the bed beside me, clothes rubbing against my naked side. He drew even with me and straddled my waist, trapping my cock between us. I was practically crying, weeping with need as he bent low, "Mine." He whispered in my ear. I tried to buck against him, but he was holding me down. I tried to grind against him, but he moved along with me, denying me anything that might lead to satisfaction, "You're mine, Jasper, and nobody will ever touch you but me." His voice was steely and his eyes flashed with jealousy, "Who do you belong to?"

"Y-you, oh please Edward, I b-belong to you…" I wept openly, knowing that my lust was bare, that he had full control of me. I begged him to let me come, to take me, claim me. He laughed.

"Tell me again, Jasper, beg me and I'll give you what you want. What do you want, Jasper? Did you enjoy all the men staring at you, eye fucking you? Did you get off?"

"No! Edward, fuck… I-I didn't even s-s-see them; only you… God Edward I need you to fuck me."

"Say it again, Jasper." Edward's voice caressed my ear as he licked his way down my jaw.

"God, Edward, fuck me _please." _

He smirked and sat back, pulling his shirt over his head lazily. I felt the added pressure on my shaft but no increase in friction. My breath caught as his perfect chest came into view. He rolled off me, and I tried to thrash around, only to be thwarted when he laid his torso across my legs, pinning me once more. He shucked his pants and underwear quickly, smiling broadly as I was transfixed by his rigid cock, jutting proudly out between his thighs.

"Mine." He agreed once more, and then he reached over to the drawer beside the bed and pulled out lube and a condom. He straddled my legs and just as I was about to start begging again, he enveloped my entire length, cutting off any possible intelligible words. I screamed at the intensity of suction as he took in my entire length. He growled around my cock and the vibrations ricocheted through my body. I thought I would die from the inundation of pleasure. Just when I felt I couldn't stand any more, his slicked finger penetrated my canal and worked its way in swiftly. He probed until he located my prostate and began steadily massaging it, easing off on the suction every time my body tensed for release.

He added another finger and then another, grinning and growling every time I begged for more. He pulled away entirely when I was fully stretched and I heard myself keen in desperation, "You're such a needy slut, aren't you Jasper? You want me to plow into you, fuck you until you can't see straight. You want me to fill your ass and pound you so hard that you won't be able to sit for a week, you'd like that wouldn't you?"

"God yes! Fuck me hard, oh Edward. I need you in me fucking now. _PLEASE." _He chuckled and lined his sheathed cock up with my entrance. His head brushed against my puckered hole, teasing and taunting. I tried to push against it, but he was too far away. I yanked against the tie harshly, feeling the cloth cutting into my skin. He growled and leaned down to bite my neck. I went limp as he bit harshly at the juncture of my neck and shoulder and he smiled against my skin. I opened my mouth to beg one last time when he thrust harshly into me, filling me completely with one long, deep stroke. I shouted and cursed as his cock pushed firmly against my prostate. My body protracted as I curled in on myself, feeling my orgasm starting. He clamped one hand around the base of my cock, forestalling my release even as it started. I screamed his name and begged him to let me come. He started to push into me roughly, the sensation of fullness ripping through my body along with liquid fire every time he brushed against that sweet spot. I bucked and twisted, trying to get free of the hand that kept me on edge. He bit down again and I stopped struggling.

I was completely desperate, fully exposed. He plunged to my core over and over, showing me how much he needed me, and how much I needed him. I chanted his name over and over, still begging for release. Feeling his love wash over me, I found the strength to withstand the barrage. I felt so much pleasure that it turned to pain and then back again. I couldn't sense the passage of time, only the roll of his hips as he continued to thrust. Finally, he released my cock and drew away from my neck, "Now, Jasper. Come now." I couldn't have resisted if I'd wanted to. My orgasm was so intense that I whited out, lost to everything but his body on top of mine, claiming me with a finality that scared and thrilled me. He whispered my name as he came down from his own high, and I knew no more as sleep overwhelmed my abused and sated body.

I felt the cool washcloth as he gently cleaned my skin and the release of pressure as he untied my hands and rubbed my wrists soothingly. I sighed in contentment as he slid into bed beside me and pulled me up against him, wrapping around me with his warmth and love.

The next morning, I woke before Edward and I nestled into his embrace. His cock pressed against my sore ass and I moaned softly, remembering the night before. He shifted and tightened his arm around my waist as he slowly awoke. I turned to face him and saw a guilty look on his face. I smiled and pulled him close, "Last night was amazing," I said and he grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry I'm such a possessive dick." He apologized.

"I like your possessive dick," I grabbed his erection and squeezed, causing his eyes to roll back at the sensation. Just as I was about to push him down and have my way with him, the buzzer sounded, indicating someone at the door. I pulled away groaning, "If that's Alice, where should we hide the body?" I slipped on a pair of sleep pants and a t-shirt, following Edward out into the flat. He opened the door and I saw him pitch backward. Frightened, I ran forward, just in time to catch Edward as he fainted dead away.

"Edward? Oh, God, Edward?" I shook him, trying to rouse him. Looking up at the door, I saw a blond man with grey eyes and a worried expression, "Who the fuck are you?" I demanded.

"I-I'm Jack, Jack Aborneth."

"Oh fuck. You're supposed to be dead."

**A/N I know I know, this is a lot shorter than most of my chapters. I apologize. I was going to have more of them in London, but I liked the pacing of it better this way, so here it is. Were y'all surprised? There have been hints, but I've never come out and said it before, so there's the cliffie. Didn't you all love Possesiveward? I did.**


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